Session 1, breakfast in location 2:
They sure are! You go, Game! Switching from a recall cue to the long line made all the difference! The kibble pile is back to its original size, and there are no cats around – and I get the same behavior!
Session 2, dinner in location 2:
After learning that I can replicate the result in this morning’s session, I’m raising criteria. No need to stay at this stage; she’s got this! I drop the long line and let it drag (when this learner understands something, I can raise criteria fast, but need to keep the increments small). From now on, I’m also making sure I have more than just one hot dog on me in case Game would like to offer another check in after the first one. No need to always release to the pile of kibble right away, since it is lower value than my hot dogs.
Good question! Three reasons:
1. I’m currently pretty busy. Utilizing breakfast and dinner for this particular training project sets me up for success: I’m not taking extra time out of my day, and my two daily sessions are quick, which ensures that I won’t skip them even when I have other things on my plate as well.
2. I want to be sure the food is clearly visible to Game. A smaller pile would be less visible. (The food she finds out and about in real life, btw, is usually not tiny scraps, but big junks of stuff as well.)
3. I don’t want to pester her by asking her to spend more calories leaving the pile than eating the pile. I want that pile to feel like a big reward, quantity-wise.
(If I were working at the same project at a different time, where I’d have more free time to dedicate to it, I might make different choices. I’d also make different choices for a smaller dog. Maybe even for a dog who’s not Game 🙂 This is what works for us right now, but not necessarily the best or only way to get to my goal behavior!)
Thank you for asking! Loved that question!
Yay for team Game!
Why do you stick to
one trial in a session?
You can make smaller piles of kibble.