Poe & I wanted to share a recent training sesh adding elements of distraction into our chin rest behavior. The distraction being focused on is random movements of the free hand for varying durations of time. This is a great way to begin working towards making contact with Poe’s face for examination in a voluntary manner. At one point I also use the thumb from my left hand, the hand of the chin rest, to make contact with the right side of Poe’s cheek and jowl. In time the right hand will be positioned closer and closer to making contact in a subtle and gentle manner and from there shaping that contact into touching different areas of her face and with varying pressure applied.
You will notice how much the station mat helps to act as a predictable place for the behavior cycle to take place at, as it acts as a default behavior and also a start button or consent signal that Poe is ready for the behavior cycle, which starts with offering my finger for Poe to contact target, another start button/consent signal, and only if and after she contacts the finger, is the cue then given for the chin rest behavior. Once the word ‘yeah,’ is given as a marker/bridge, a reinforcer is offered only after Poe removes her chin or relaxes the pressure she is applying to my hand, which happens predictably within 1-2 seconds of the word, ‘yeah.’
If Poe relaxes or removes pressure at anytime during the behavior cycle, the cycle stops and I would either offer a finger touch cue and reinforce Poe off mat, or possibly an LRS (least reinforcing scenario) could be applied once in a while, followed by a different cue for a more predictable behavior.
The goal is to maintain behavioral momentum from one behavior cycle to the next, but also to make it highly reinforcing for both Poe & I and continue setting ourselves up for fun and success!
#zencatsroc #cat #cats #cattraining #clickertraining #animaltraining #positivereinforcementtraining #catbehavior #catlover #catnation
17 мар 2022
