Saturday, May 3, 2008

New Stuff - New Pictures!

Bungee & her food bowl, continued... (new "how-to" info added Tuesday, May 6!)

Bungee is now picking up and giving me her food bowl after every meal. She still eats like the Princesse she is however, slowly and carefully, taking bite by bite, and chewing each piece thoroughly in between. She has (finally) become a good eater though...HOORAH! She had us worried for awhile that she was going to be forever anorexic or something.

Note, I wanted to add: I transitioned Bungee from picking up the bowl on the floor to trying her skill out in her crate, later that same day. After success on the floor in the morning, we ended the session with a play session, like all shaping sessions. Later in the day, after she ate her evening meal in her crate, I opened her door, sat on the floor in front of her crate with clicker & treats in hand, and clicked/fed her for putting the bowl in my hand after picking it up. I did not back up and re-shape her for looking at, sniffing, mouthing and then picking up the bowl in baby steps, even though we were in a new location. I simply waited her out for the behavior we had already achieved on the living room floor. We had a few unrewarded responses for picking it up an inch or so and dropping it. But within a minute she was picking up the bowl and holding it for me to take. She has been giving me her food bowl twice a day, (after each meal), ever since. The skill is growing stronger and stronger.

Eventually I will have her hold the bowl while she waits for a release from her crate, and bring it to me across the room.

Sorry that I did not include that last bit of info earlier, if any of you were wondering about how to make this transition from the introduction to working in the crate.


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