Puppy doing targeting and other tricks

Criosphynx

Thought I post a video.

Chili is 10 wks old in this video. Showing off a few tricks, he had only been training about 2 wks here. He's 17 weeks old now, so Ill have to post a new vid soon.

YouTube - 10 week old puppy doing tricks

UnDeadKnight1

Wow, such a cute lil dog, and obedient at such an early age, I'm impressed is he yours?

Criosphynx

Thank you!
He started as a foster that we decided to keep. I pulled him from a shelter at 5 wks old. He had the worst case of demodectic mange my vet had ever seen. He's 100% well now. Quite the guy.

UnDeadKnight1

Wow, that must've been ruff on him, and at such a young age, poor thing glad he's well now though, this is what? your 6th dog now? where do you get the money? lol

Mimi

Oh, I am so glad he is now yours! What a clever little fellow he is AND so cute too!!!

Criosphynx

He's number six if you count Scooter (who is passed away) so five dogs in the home right now.

Easy, Im not a materialistic person, I tend not to buy things, so all my money goes toward food, toys, vet bills etc. I have a full time job to pay for it all!

The treatment for Chili's mange, multiple skin infections, and multiple intestinal infections ran about $600. It was that, or he died in a kill shelter, in pain. Easy choice for me.

Mimi

I am posting here the following which I received in an email this morning and that I think is appropriate : It is by Angel Wells.

A Shelter Dogs Poem

Once upon a time, you see,
There was this little pup
For reasons unbeknownst to me,
His family gave him up

Maybe it was chewing
Everything that he could find
Maybe they were busy and
Just didn't have the time

They took him to the shelter
And they just left him there
Outside, alone, in the cage
Shivering and scared

Even though they knew inside
If he went through those doors
He may never have the chance
To find a home like yours

He sat there crying silently
Wondering what he did
That was so bad that they just
Had to leave him like they did

However fate was smiling
On that little pup that day
Because a lady saw him
And she whisked him right away

He got a second chance at life
That others may have not
And now he's in a loving home
With everything he wants

Every day he gets that love
That he was looking for
And silently is thankful for when
She walked through that door

Others may not have this chance
So open up your heart
And adopt a shelter dog to take
And give a brand new start

Criosphynx

Thats beautiful...I'll always rescue my dogs.

Sheltiemama

What a little love bug! Now can you explain to me what is meant by targeting?

Thanks!

Criosphynx

In the video you'll notice I'll say "touch" and hold out a fist and the dog will touch my hand. No matter where my hand is. Theres no food in my hand either.

Basically its the second thing I teach (after eye contact) because it makes training all the other behaviors easier. You can move the dog were you want him without having to touch him or lure him with food. The dogs pick it up FAAST and if you put the target up high they will jump to get to it, or climb furniture to figure it out.

Eventually I add other targets, for example you can transfer the touch to a post-it note on your hand and then once the dog gets that, put the post-it on other objects...ever seen dogs turn off light switches and close doors? That starts out as targeting.

Heres and OLD video with Emma...I think she does basic targeting in it as well.
YouTube - Behavior chain and the Crate game

Everytime I point and the dog goes there....thats targeting. By the way...no food used in this one. The next cue is the reinforcement