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During one shaping session, Wally grabbed the ball, shook it and "threw" it. I rewarded it, figuring it could be something to use later...in a more toned down way (fortunately, he only does it with soft things he likes to shake anyway, then he just decided to let it go while he was doing it and he was like shocked it went in the air!)
So in later sessions, I've been work on just this "throwing". I hold out until he shakes it and let's it go. Sometimes, he'll just shake it and put it down. Nope. Not what I want. If he gets like "DON'T YOU SEE ME EFFING SHAKING IT?" and then let's it go, mark/reward.
The first few times, he looked at me like "What did you just mark?" Of course, I don't say/do anything else just hand him his reward, and wait. You figure it out. You're the one getting shaped here, Wally.
Lately, he's been starting to get it a little more. One time before dinner, he threw the ball 3 feet, at least. (He was ready to eat and his dinner was just sitting there) I let him eat after that.
Then he's been sort of experimenting (?) with different "throws". I'm timing the click/marker to catch that mouth as soon after it opens. I don't want to wait until the ball is in the air (or should I and he's watching it - should I mark that instead and let him extrapolate how it got to that point from in his mouth, or is it best for now to click/mark the act of release?)
Some of the "throws" are straight up and down. Some are like he's trying to hit something with the ball, or throw a fastball. Right now, I'm taking all of them, since they all might be useful. Of course, this brings the question of how to teach him to perform each type of throw both on cue and/or to solve a problem, like get the ball in a bowl?
I've also been trying to get him to "follow" his "throws" so he can do another "throw". This would be helpful too so he tries again from whatever point. That seems like it would aid in solving a potential problem if the prior effort didn't get it done.
So in later sessions, I've been work on just this "throwing". I hold out until he shakes it and let's it go. Sometimes, he'll just shake it and put it down. Nope. Not what I want. If he gets like "DON'T YOU SEE ME EFFING SHAKING IT?" and then let's it go, mark/reward.
The first few times, he looked at me like "What did you just mark?" Of course, I don't say/do anything else just hand him his reward, and wait. You figure it out. You're the one getting shaped here, Wally.
Lately, he's been starting to get it a little more. One time before dinner, he threw the ball 3 feet, at least. (He was ready to eat and his dinner was just sitting there) I let him eat after that.
Then he's been sort of experimenting (?) with different "throws". I'm timing the click/marker to catch that mouth as soon after it opens. I don't want to wait until the ball is in the air (or should I and he's watching it - should I mark that instead and let him extrapolate how it got to that point from in his mouth, or is it best for now to click/mark the act of release?)
Some of the "throws" are straight up and down. Some are like he's trying to hit something with the ball, or throw a fastball. Right now, I'm taking all of them, since they all might be useful. Of course, this brings the question of how to teach him to perform each type of throw both on cue and/or to solve a problem, like get the ball in a bowl?
I've also been trying to get him to "follow" his "throws" so he can do another "throw". This would be helpful too so he tries again from whatever point. That seems like it would aid in solving a potential problem if the prior effort didn't get it done.