Lucky learns to learn, part two

The first step in Lucky’s Learn to Learn plan was to find something he thought was very rewarding. Most Greyhounds are quite food motivated and Lucky is no exception. Since food rewards are usually very motivating for Greyhounds plus one of the fastest and easiest forms of reward, I use these for training a new command or behavior. Later the food is phased out and replaced with a different reward like praise. Now this may sound strange a few of our foster Greyhounds had to learn to take treats from my hand. It is like they just don't even seem to consider that food can come directly from human hands and Lucky falls into this category of hound. Believe it or not, I had to teach him to take treats from my hand.

In the past my approach to these hounds was to start by puttin the treat on the floor. As the dog starts anticipating that I begin offering the treat from my hand, held an inch off the floor. Slowly we work higher and higher until they take the treat at normal hand level without bending. Well, my back bending days are over. Lucky’s a quick study so he got the time compressed version. I just held the treat out and then dropped the treat on the floor. He quickly made the connection between my outstretched hand and the treat drop. That’s when I started delaying the drop slightly. It seemed to draw him in. I delayed more and more until he decided it was much faster take the treat from my hand rather than wait.

It isn’t uncommon to have a dog who doesn’t take treats in the first training sessions. The reasons vary. Some are too stressed, worried, nervous. Others are overly excited and cannot concentrate. For Lucky curiosity overrode his desire to eat the treat. It wasn't that he *wouldn't* take treats but that he was so distracted by everything new that he frequently could not concentrate long enough to even notice I was offering them. When he noticed he did not seem to remember why one was being offered. Initially when Lucky took the treat it was in an absent minded way. His mouth was eating but his eyes and mind had already wandered off task. Though a bit frustrating, I knew with a little patience it would fall into place. At least, that is what I kept telling myself and trying to internalize.

Now I try to be a good trainer. Good trainers start new lessons with as few distractions as possible. Well, how the heck do you do that when the student finds every single thing in the room to be new and interesting? And Lucky’s curiosity? Oh my, I was really overestimating his ability to concentrate in those first sessions. At our home it doesn't help that my usual training area, the one that normally has the least distractions and is the easiest to block out the other animals, happens to be the kitchen. Hey, I know what you’re thinking. She’s got a curious, food motivated hound and she tries to train in the kitchen? Don’t laugh at me. It usually is the best place for my dogs.

Good trainers make lessons plans. Have I mentioned yet that I am not a good trainer? The first thing I want Lucky is his name. The goal for the first session was quite minimal but through follow up lessons he will learn to turn his head and give me his attention when he hears his name. The idea for the first session was simple. I would say his name, “Lucky”, and deliver a treat. At least that was the plan. That goal proved a bit too lofty with Mr. Curiosity. Though in the interest of fairness, I should point out that there was an extenuating circumstance which cut our lesson short. Wish I had thought to set up the video camera. It would have been good for a laugh.

Laura: Lucky!

[Before I could even get my hand with the treat near him he was gone.]

Lucky: What's that?! [sniff, sniff, sniff]

Laura: That is a floor rug. Lucky!

[I try to put the treat under his nose but he’s still moving too fast.]

Lucky: What's that?! [sniff, sniff, sniff]

Laura: That's a cabinet door. Lucky!

[Almost got him but he jerks his head away before the treat can be delivered.]

Lucky: What's that?! [sniff, sniff, sniff]

Laura: That's just the knob on the cabinet door.

[I quit calling his name and silently pray he will at least turn his head a millimeter in my direction.]

Lucky: What's in there?! [sniff, sniff, sniff]

Laura: Plastic bags, pots and pans. None of them are yours.

[Finally he turns his head towards me. *click* As he walks in my direction I hand him a treat which he grabs on the fly without slowing down. He even forgets to chew as he hurries past me to an amazing new discovery. Note: He had already been in the kitchen before but you would never have known it.]

Lucky: [sniff, sniff, sniff] WOW!! [sniff, sniff, sniff] What's that?! [sniff, sniff, sniff]

Laura: That's a trashcan and...

Lucky: [sniff, sniff, sniff] It smells REALLY good! [sniff, sniff, sniff]

Laura: You will never be allowed to put your head into it so just try to forget about it.

[I made a mental note to remove trash can before next training session.]

Lucky: [Turns away from both the trashcan and me.] What's that?! [sniff, sniff, sniff]

Laura: [sigh] That's the door to the laundry room.

Lucky: I smell food and funny smelling stuff.

Laura: Your food is in there plus lots of non-edibles.

Lucky: [sniff, sniff, sniff] What's that?! [Turns around thus turning his head in my direction.]

Laura: *click* [I hand him a treat.]

 [He takes the treat but then drops it when he hears a noise.]

Lucky: What's that? [He cocks his head. Gads, he is so cute when he does that!]

Laura: I don't know. I don't see anyth...

[Suddenly Lucky and I both see the source of the noise as she prepares to leap down from the counter and into the kitchen.]

Laura: Tasty, no! [I dive forward to push her away from the edge of the counter that adjoins kitchen and dining room.]

Lucky: I know what that is but she's sooo much more interesting up there. Lemme see! Lemme see!

 [Trying to shove Tasty back into the dining room, I simultaneously grab Lucky by the collar to prevent him from jumping on the counter.]

Laura: No way little boy!

Lucky: Who you callin' little!? Hey, where'd the kitty go.

Laura: Don't know but wherever it is it couldn't be far enough away for me.

Laura, again: Scott!! Come get your [insert drunken sailorish expletive] cat!!

Thus ended the first formal training session after a mere two minutes. Good trainers make notes of what they've accomplished in a session. So I did a mental review and thought, "Let's see now. He almost, kinda, sorta looked at me nearly twice. I'll just call that good and work from there." And I made a mental note to use even better treats next time, something really smelly to get his attention better.

See? Training can be fun and easy. And then there’s me and this silly boy named Lucky Latin…