| Now that you have park it down (previous article) | | | | hears the doorbell, he will go to his or her bed and |
| and it is working during dinner and when new | | | | wait for the next command! |
| people enter the house, you are ready for the | | | | This all seems pretty simple, but why you ask, |
| graduate school level of park it! Let me ask you a | | | | the wireless door bell? Because I said you could |
| question, would you be interested in having your | | | | CHEAT, it makes practice easier, and you can do |
| doorbell be the cue for Fido to park it? Think | | | | it yourself. How? Keep it Simple Stupid! You can |
| about it, when you say park it, the dog goes and | | | | put the ringer in your pocket and have the door |
| lays down on his or her blanket or pillow, right? | | | | bell with you while you practice! And you don't |
| What if we add another cue, in this case a bell | | | | need your spouse, neighbor or kids to help with |
| that would mean the same as the words park it! | | | | this one since you've got the remote ringer! Trust |
| Sound too good to be true? Well it isn't, read on | | | | me, it works. All you are doing is basic behavior |
| and make Pavlov proud! Classical conditioning or | | | | theory! As I said, Pavlov would be so proud. |
| Pavlovan psychology simply works off the idea of | | | | If you really wrap your head around this idea, you |
| associations. We are going to do nothing but pair | | | | can easily see how many problem behaviors can |
| another association to the verbal cue "park it". If | | | | be fixed! We are always ready to let a trainer |
| this sounds a little fuzzy, go back and review my | | | | know what our dog is doing wrong (what we |
| posts on terminology and it will clear right back up! | | | | don't like!) but spend very little time on what it is |
| Needless to say, all we need is the new cue | | | | that we would rather do (what we would love to |
| (doorbell) and the cue that already works (park it) | | | | happen!) This is exactly the $64,000 question in |
| and of course the behavior (lay on your bed). I | | | | dog training. What it is we want? Don't waste |
| know this is going to sound crazy, but I want you | | | | time trying to get inside your dogs head, or |
| to go directly to Home Depot and buy a wireless | | | | asking the philosophical question "What is |
| (remote) door bell and head back to the house, | | | | motivating my dog to behave this way?" Focus |
| ‘cause we are going to have some real fun! | | | | on just two things! What is the behavior I don't |
| We are going to do what in dog training we call | | | | like (what I want to go away) and what is the |
| combining cues. We will teach Fido that the noise | | | | behavior I want to see (what I want to |
| of your new wireless door bell means the same | | | | reinforce.) Do this and you will be on your way to |
| thing as the words park it. Why a wireless | | | | becoming an incredible dog trainer, not to mention |
| doorbell? Because you can cheat! Yeah I said | | | | a wonderful dog owner! I'd like to mention at this |
| it…CHEAT! Remember that when you combine | | | | point, this idea does not end with dogs; it works |
| cues, you must lead with the unknown cue (go | | | | on kids, spouses and even the mean and nasty |
| review the post Training Terminology 2 - Cues) | | | | boss! You cannot change an existing behavior |
| which is the nonverbal cue (the door bell ) and | | | | without knowing what different behavior it is that |
| follow it immediately with the spoken cue park it. | | | | you would like to seeJ! The next blog will take this |
| Over a period of time (probably 4-6 weeks of 15 | | | | idea into another common problem dog |
| minutes a day practice) you will have a dog that | | | | behavior...The dog that jumps all over you!!!! |
| instead of charging the door barking when he | | | | |