Mom's been asking me to pick up some strange things lately. I've had this toy for a long time, but she never paid me to pick it up before.
Inspired by watching the Movers & Shakers PWD club's Southern Splash Water Trial, I am trying to teach Emma some of the basics. Maybe we will give it a shot in '08. In an earlier session, I already got her touching, and then picking up the sinky-ringy (this is the object used for the underwater retrieve). In this session we are working towards holding it gradually longer periods.
The treats are Charlee Bears. Emma is VERY food motivated, so if I use anything too extremely yummy, she can't focus. My timing is occasionally off, clicking too late so I'm reinforcing dropping the ring instead of holding it. Fortunately, clicker training errors are not difficult to recover from; I just have to get it right MOST of the time. After a while, I added a "negatory" sound when she dropped it too early.
Emma isn't too good at holding things when it's not on her own terms. If I reach my hand towards her, she will drop the item before my hand reaches her mouth. So I won't even go there until she will hold while walking around, while sitting, or while I walk around her.
Kathy, Emma's 2lggd mom
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