Train train train

Finally, west and I had another clicker session. I'd been busy and tired and lazy...no excuses, really.

I grabbed a cup of kibble (this is a COFFEE cup, i should measure how much it actually holds. I'd say 3/4 of a cup) and the clicker, and started out trying to teach him to touch a flashlight (my target stick is in the house). Fail. He was willing to play, but he really can't seem to take the focus off me/food yet. It needs work. I think I'll try a paw target or a go-around instead of a nose target. Anyway, I was getting up to get the flash light, which he'd knocked over, and he RAN into his kennel. A little fiddling, and I discovered he wasn't comfortable with me walking around (I guess I usually send him to his kennel or to the door before I get up. I try to do this so the dogs don't LEAP to their feet with my every shuffle. I want the word (outside, or crate) to be the first cue.), especially towards him.
Cool. something to work on.
I did about 15 'step, click, toss treat' then wanted to do some choose to heel. He really couldn't be beside me, so I started shaping him to come around behind me. Then it occurred to be. I want to shape him NEAR MOVING FEET, and UNDER PEOPLE so... I started shaping Peek!
Peek is a freestyle behaviour where the dog stands between your legs and walks there. It's handy for all sorts of reasons, and when he can do Peek, he surely can handle feet near him! I think this will also give him somethign to do other than leap upon me. I hope.
Lured it a few times, and just fed like 15 kibbles in position, building value. Then shaped him there with prompts and well placed treat drops, and fed a bunch on position. Finally, when I thought he had enough value, I just sort of waited.. He would go behind me, click and toss treat between my feet. By the end, he was almost coming into Peek position. Good boy!
As I write this, Archie has found the gumabone I brought out here for West. He's throwing it all around the room and having a grand time. Silly dog. Archie and I have Rally-O practice tomorrow. We're prepping for a trial in two weeks (this is our last practice, with a fun run next weekend, and the trial the one after that!) and while we're basically ready for Novice (he has two Qs and got 184 on his last course except that I NQ'd us by going the wrong way), I'm considering entering him in Advanced. I think it will be just for fun, since I haven't started teaching him a SFE or offset figure 8 or leave while running or moving down.. and a few others :D
We love rally. One day, maybe west can play too :)