Retrieve: Multi-Object Mode

We haven't done this quite yet, at least not "formally", but I'm thinking of taking retrieving up a notch. Or at least take it along a different path of sorts. We've worked on directions and used retrieving to help teach him that (something ELSE we need to get back to), but I've also thought about having him retrieve multiple objects.

He wouldn't try to get all the objects at once, but get one, come back, go get the next one, come back, etc. This would be a different spin on it and something that would challenge him in another way. He would have to remember where the objects landed (and so will I for that matter, and now that the grass is getting longer in the fields and such...) and go and get them as I indicate the direction to start in.

This sounds like it's going to be quite the challenge for the both of us, so starting off slowly is a certainty. Slowly as in two objects only and in an area with the shortest grass possible!

Then as something of a bonus, if he gets mixed up, we can work in directions as I try to guide him to it (which is going to be an adventure since we haven't exactly mastered that too much, but at least he's not completely clueless of the concept). Always nice when one activity can focus on one skill and then mix in another one as well.

I can also imagine throwing in that color discrimination here too. Have go find the blue or yellow card or object (can't wait until he gets good at the colors - lots of ideas).

But first, I have to get him into going after multiple objects. Shouldn't be too hard, but you just never know. Some things I've thought would be easy for him weren't and some things I thought would stump him, he picks up fast. Just never know.

Another Attempt At Object Discrimination

Well, the first attempt at this didn't go so well. I had tried to get him to distinguish between a photo of Dora and Kai-lan, but it ended up not going good at all. At first, I thought I was making progress, but when trying it again, he was clearly confused and frustrated.

At the time, I wondered if it was something with the photos - maybe he couldn't see the colors or the paper was too shiny, or maybe the images were too small and the dog's lack of visual acuity (they don't see stuff in sharp detail like humans do) might have been issues. So this time I'm going to try it with actual physical objects.

One of the objects will be his little baseball. The other will be his yellow rubber bone (I guess it's rubber anyway).

I'll start by drilling the names of the objects to him and click and treating when he touches it. Of course, I'll start with one object at a time. Not sure at this point how many repetitions at a time I'll do but it will probably be quite a few and hopefully several times a day. Really drill it in but keep it fun and lighthearted with good treats (read: bread).

Hopefully, this time if I'm more methodical about it, we'll make better progress.

With the new clicker I'm using (much louder, and it's a button clicker so my timing is much better), we'll be able to make a better connection as well.

More on the twists on retrieving

Did another twist on retrieving, this time putting his dumbbell and two of his other items that look similar in shape, his big bone and his rope bone. I arranged them so that they were all in a line and oriented the same way. I sent him with a generic "go get it" and didn't point or otherwise indicate which one to get. Did this five times as I was short on time and just wanted to get it in quickly. He'd get a click and treat each time he brings back an object.

He picked out his dumbbell each time. He looked over the items a little and brought back the dumbbell when it was in the middle. When I moved it over to the right, he at first was about to pick up the big bone that had been moved to the middle, but thought again and saw his dumbbell and brought it back.

It is interesting to see this play out, and trying to see how he makes his decision on which one to get. I imagine this time he got the dumbbell because it is the object we use for only retrieving and it probably looked like a familiar task (go out, find, and bring back the dumbbell), so he settled on it.

Will do more with this soon, trying some other twists and seeing what he does.

Changed it up on retrieving - Caused interesting behavior

I changed up the retrieving practice with him. I just threw some of his toys on the bed, had him sit front to me. Then sent him to the objects by saying "go get it" with no indication (i.e. I didn't point, stare, or say the name of an object) and then he picked one out, and repeated until he brought them all back.

The interesting part is in the picking. He milled around over some of the items, switched one for another once - meaning he had one then put that one down to pick up another - and would pass up items in plain sight to go looking in hiding spots for who knows what item he had in mind.

It was really interesting to see and I plan to do this many times again and record the results to see if there's some kind of pattern. I will also note which in which order I touched the items to gather them, in case that may be influencing his decision, and the order in which he brings them back. I'll also note any of the item switching and such he might do.

The items in question:

• Water drop squeaky toy - blue toy shaped like a drop of water
• Fire squeaky toy - bright reddish-orange toy that's shaped like a flame
• Big squeaky bone - red and white big but soft squeaky bone toy
• Rabbit toy - A small brown rabbit that has fake "hair" on it.
• A little baseball - small white baseball toy that easily fits in his mouth. Has a bell inside - it's really a "cat toy".
• Rope bone - a bone-shaped toy made of a rope-like material. Has stringy ends he likes to grab sometimes
• Nylabone - The good old nylabone chew "toy".

Only cue I'll give is a "go get it" and only feedback he gets is when he presents and object to me (hold it and sit), then I'll cue "give" and then click and treat him. I won't indicate an object and look either at the center of his body, or at some point not centered on the "test area". This let's me keep him in view, but lowers the chance I'll accidentally indicate an item with my looking.

If you're interested in the details of how it went this first time, you can click to view this post about it.