Zena vom Zauberberg trained Puppy
Name: Zena vom Zauberberg
Date of Birth: 07-06-2015
Microchip: Yes
AKC unlimited Registration: Yes
Obedience Commands: German
Shots: Current
Sire: Jago vom Zauberberg
Dam: X-On vom Zauberberg
Training Status: Puppy Kindergarten in progress
Sold to Mark and Carol S. in Flagstaff
Zena is a very cute sable female German Shepherd puppy. She is currently in training through Puppy Kindergarten. Very energetic and eager to interact with people, places and other dogs. Watch her progression in the video clips below. Zena will remain with Zauberberg Kennels until she is trained and training being transitioned into the hands of the new owners.
This Puppy did not allow us to lure her into the sit position by presenting the food in front of her nose. She would always want to stand up instead. Just waiting for the sit to occur and then mark it with the clicker was the choice to make. This is called “capturing” a behavior. She is continuously reinforced in the sit position, then released with a “free” command, obtaining reward for leaving the position.
Training the puppy to go onto the bed, is the objective in this session. First reinforcing any orientation away from the trainer – all the way to having four feed on the bed. The behavior of sitting has been very rewarding for the puppy for a lot of repetition. So has orientation to the trainer been.Therefor she tries to sit or pays attention to the trainer, in order to trigger the click. More and more she understands that sitting, at least not off the bed, is not the required behavior at this moment. Some feeding directly connected with the target (tossing treats onto the bed), is helpful to progress. The trainer integrates the release cue (Frei) as he lures the puppy to leave the place right when he tosses the treat away from the place. Thus, he also resets the scene for the next repetition.
After the puppy has gotten a pretty good idea of the behavior required in order to obtain reward, she performs more and more into the right direction. As behavior is getting predictable, the trainer integrates the “voraus” cue. At the very end, the puppy receives a Jackpot, the rest of the reward amount left for this session is given all at once!
At first it was slightly difficult for her to “trust” the elevated platform. After she feels more comfortable with it, the platform helps to make the dog realize that it is more worth while to be on it than not. The purpose is to make distance between the trainer and the dog in different positions, including being behind or on to of the dog. The platform is a reference for the dog , a designated spot. Being on the platform is rewarded continuously, getting up and off- is not! It shows clearly that the dog makes choices in the trainer’s favor and understands differences about “where to be” and “where not to be”. Leaving the position after the release command has to be rewarded.
Zena has advanced in her training far enough to have minor mechanical inducement (mechanically leading the dog into a direction) added to her training. Mechanical inducement on very low level, preceded by a cue that has been taught in only positive manner, changes the animal’s perception completely. Yet, once the animal understands that choices of behaviors are now limited, the joy of performance is maintained. Positive reinforcement is provided as well, which makes responses more reliable. The mechanical inducement is applied right after the cue. Never wait to “test” whether the response is happening. The inducement just stops quicker and quicker if we see the response starting to happen. Never is mechanical inducement used as a punishment for the animal NOT responding. If the animal does NOT respond correctly, the inducement stays until the right response starts. Mechanical inducement is applied in the direction the response should be performed. Platz- downward inducement, Sitz- upward inducement, etc..
The positive reinforcement should also be provided in the direction we want the behavior to go.
Never feed in such fashion that the dog has to leave the requested position!
In addition, the slight tension of the retractable leash creates a strong distraction. The dog has to resist, and gets a very good understanding of the required behavior.