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Target Training Doorway Skills – Post 1 of 2 with Video
Teaching a dog to settle away from the doorway is a handy skill. Delivers can be received without the hassle of managing a dog, who might try to dash through the open door. It’s also a great position for a dog to be in before guests enter the home.
In this video, what is Gem the cattle dog starting to learn?
1:12
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13 Replies
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Gem is learning to go to place when she is near the door, puts her hand on handle, opens the door, and doorbell rings. That is where she will get rewarded for going and not bolting out the door.
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Well done, @dmcd323 ! Exactly so.
Have you done any training with contextual (not verbal) cues like this? I think it’s fascinating stuff and so helpful.
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EDITED to include video:
Here’s the second post with video 2/2 – What do you think of this progression? Importantly, what is happening to Gem’s emotional state and how could that be helpful to her owners?
0:25
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In this second video of Gem, I want to mention a helpful training detail. When resetting her so that she’s in a position to rehearse the ‘place’ behavior again, I toss food behind the mat and further from the door. Since her natural inclination is to approach the door, I make sure to give the doorbell cue BEFORE she’s reached the mat, thus making it easier for her to have early successes with this behavior. It also prevents her from rehearsing an unwanted ‘overshooting’ of the mat. Hope that makes sense!
@doggonespecial , @dmcd323 , @catherine
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I only see one video. I am not sure if it is the first or second video so my answer is based on the video I see. From what I see, the trainer is cueing “Place” to get the learner to perform an incompatible behavior of going to her mat/towel rather than charging the door. The trainer’s progression is to cue “Place” first while in the doorway, then when she touches and turns the door knob, and finally when she rings the doorbell.
The progression addresses three (of the many) triggers that cause doorway arousal – the doorway area, the turning of the doorknob, and the ringing of the bell. This approach teaches the dog that the stationary behavior of going to Place is more rewarding than the active behavior of charging the door. By practicing and being rewarded for this stationary behavior, the dog’s emotional arousal is replaced with calmness.
The trainer is likely to progress the training where the doorbell becomes the cue to go to Place. Eventually, this will need to be trained with a helper ringing the doorbell and the dog learning to go to Place and to stay in place when the helper arrives and enters through the doorway. This will need to be generalize by practicing with different helpers, at different times of the day, and the trainer approaching the doorway entrance from different angles.
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Thanks @doggonespecial Amy – I added the video now. Sorry about that! See what you think.
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This approach teaches the dog that the stationary behavior of going to Place is more rewarding than the active behavior of charging the door. By practicing and being rewarded for this stationary behavior, the dog’s emotional arousal is replaced with calmness. – Amy Sternberg
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Luv it! Love the way the dog responds to the doorbell as the cue to go to Place. I also love the part where he pauses and appears to contemplate going towards the door before committing to lying down on towel. It shows he’s thinking and making the better choice.
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Goes to place with ring of bell! Awesome! He hesitates at second 18 but put himself on the mat and lays down on own when he realizes the person is not entering.
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Isn’t it great?! I teach “default” behaviors, which are really contextual cues, in my puppy classes. The goal is for the puppy to consider: “In the absence of a verbal cue, what’s the best choice?” By setting dogs up for success this way, we help them figure out winning behavior before problems can develop. It’s fabulous when you can teach like this – doorbell = go to mat.
Can you think of other behaviors that can be trained like this?
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@catherine asked me to weigh in on these videos since it was content I provided for her to use prior to me being active on Digging Dogs. I just want to point out a couple details in the first video for those of you who may be newer to transferring cues.
Gem already knew the verbal cue, “place.” To transfer this to the first non-verbal cue (jiggling the door knob), I gave the new cue first, and then followed with the well-known cue, “place.” Then, I worked on transferring the cue to the doorbell.
Just want to mention that the order is important: new cue first, then already-known cue.
@doggonespecial , @dmcd323
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NIIICE POINT! Thanks for this @virginiad – and this fits so nicely with your recent post on When to Add a Cue! Also, related to this conversation where you shared your work with your Agouti. You are such a treasure trove of great training and technical skills instruction. THANK YOU for all you bring to Digging Dogs!
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Thank you for your kind words, @catherine !
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