Gambling

[Jo Sermon]

What follows is the gambling handout from the game with rewards that I've been playing.

I get some interesting reactions to this game. From the type "A" personalities who just want to work their dogs, I get huge resistance and "this is a waste of time" type comments. From people who are firmly routed in the punishment/compulsive type training I get utter incomprehension. From many others I start to see what I'm looking for - THOUGHT! 

Then you get people who really do want to win and they start to think about winning the game - you then find out just how good they are at setting criteria, remembering them and carrying them out!



Gambling!

I thought that it might be fun to start with a game – a gambling game.

When training with reward, it’s very important to be aware of exactly what you are rewarding in any training session, not only that, but where else your dog is finding reward.

For this session I’d like you to think of rewards as currency – training currency. When you reward your dog, with a pat on the head, or a “good boy” what have you bought? What did you spend your currency on? Was it a worthwhile purchase? When your dog rolls at the start line, what did you buy, by allowing that reward? When your dog makes a mistake in the weave poles and you say “good boy” in an effort to reassure him, what did your verbal reward buy you? When you rewarded your dog for sitting at the start line, exactly what did you purchase? A straighter sit? A sit with distractions? Or any old sit that your dog has been offering you several times a training session for the last few years? Was that a worth-while expenditure of valuable currency? Behaviour that is rewarded will increase. Keep that in mind all the way through this session.

Attached is a course map. I’d like you to mark on it where your dog is likely to be crated, or where he settles when not working. I’d then like you to mark on the map each reward that you are going to spend. Use a symbol if you like and number them.

Next, in the space under the course map note exactly and precisely the criterion that your dog will have to meet to earn that reward and what that reward will be. Please note, jump the jump isn’t good enough – it has to be a criterion that can be clearly increased.

At the bottom, note the total number of rewards you are planning to give or allow.

Now comes the fun bit!

The course plans, with planned rewards will be handed in before the session begins. We will draw a running order for each jump height and in turn, each person will play.

Everybody else will be watching from out of the crate to back into the crate and counting rewards spent.
The scoring goes as follows:-

2 points for planned rewards given in the planned place that meet criterion laid down.

No points for planned rewards being given inappropriately ie not meeting criterion.

20 points given for the fastest dog with no errors and no stops on course for reward at each jump height.

Deducted single points for extra rewards, double deductions for planned rewards not being given.

The winner is the one who has the most points at the end of the session. I'll think of a tie breaker if need be

What’s the point?

Well, if you know your dog, you should be able to predict areas where he’s likely to have a problem on course. Your training records should show you exactly how many times he is successful in the poles the first time, or how many screw up cookies you’re likely to need to use. You should also know if there’s a problem with a turn, or if there’s an area of turn work that you’d like to reward if you achieve it. When training you should always be working at a 60% or better success rate, which is where the gambling element creeps in.

This is PLANNING training    The winner will be the one who really does pay attention to detail and knows exactly how they use their rewards.

The aim, is to make you all into more efficient trainers.

Regards,

Jo





© Jo Sermon, Agility Training 2003 - 2012, All Rights Reserved

[Jo Sermon]

I'm intending to play this game at Beardie Camp as my one and only attempt to teach people how to reward, how to plan and how to keep records.

I've started a Yahoo group for them and have posted the handout and it's score sheet to the website files, they'll also get a copy when they book in.

As the concepts will be very new to many of them, I've also posted this diagram and the following explanation to the group and I thought it might be interesting to share it here.



There's been a lot of worry that perhaps some dogs might be too inexperienced for camp. Well Koda has never competed, he's only just 12 mths old. Yet I would have no problems working him at camp and here is the main reason why:-

I KNOW my dog.

I know his limits, I know his capabilities because I keep records that tell me where we've got to. I plan, just like the plan that I've completed here - just as you'll HAVE to for the first session of camp - (after that it's up to you!) I then note down the results and use those for the next plan.

Sounds BORING doesn't it? But I never waste my dog's time, I never waste class time. I know exactly what I'm working towards every time my dog steps up to the mark. When my dog can do something, we move on - you'll notice that not every start-line sit is rewarded. Why not? Because he should by now be well able to sit at the start line, so I'll reward the difficult ones, or the odd one - not every one - rewarding is not only about rewarding what you want, it's also about working for rewards, raising criterion when appropriate. NEVER never never about mindlessly stuffing food down a dog's throat. Reward in my case is all I've got and I make very sure that I spend it wisely.

This game in the main is about making you as handlers conscious of the rewards that you throw away, or allow your dog to take for himself!

So, each person will have to explain the reasoning behind their plans - except for those who go for the straight 20 point fastest clear round - those people we'll be watching for rewards on course and this is an option I could NEVER go for as my mouth would automatically reward my dog if he made some of those turns!


So for little Koda:-

1 -  Sensible behaviour towards start-line. Food.

He's a baby Beardie right? A real clown, loves people.......approaching the start line is NOT a time for play, it's a working time. He can play at the common, at home, at the shops when I take him out, NOT when he's working, I keep the two very distinct. It's still hard for him and so if I get it I'll reward it.
 
2 - As above. Food.
 
3 - Straight lined up sit held for count of 7 after I’ve gone 3 paces away. Tug.

 We've been working hard on balanced sits, not all flopped over and this is about where we've got to, making allowances for the fact that it would be an exciting environment for him. An exciting high value reward for a real achievement.
 
4 - Heelwork past DW. Food.

We're not yet at a stage where I want him to do contact equipment in an environment like that, so I'll collect him out of his sit at the start line - without doing the jump - and do fast paced heelwork (not formal comp type, but a nice walk at my side preferably horizontal <G>) to the next jump. Food is quick and easy and rewards appropriately.


5 - Set up for #2 – no larking about! Food.

That means quickly and sensibly into the sit. No jumps and kisses, smooth heelwork into lined up sit. That would be a GOOD reward, but fairly calm - so a chew on a tripe stick perhaps, something that lasted as Koda tends to inhale treats.


6 - Turn over jump #2 wrapping wing within 2 ft. Food.

He should easily be able to do this, but still it's an exciting place, so if he does it I'll reward it.

7 - Sendaway across #3 – I stay behind it. Toy.

This is a rehearsal for how I would want to handle the weave pole entry and also reminds a baby dog that I won't always be going with him. Toy will be thrown on ahead.

8 - Heelwork past weave poles. Food.

He can't weave yet


9 - Looking at and jumping #6. Toy.

In this situation my movement would be quite distracting for Koda as I'd run with him, jumping the jump would be really good. I actually think he'd need a hand-touch cookie for a failed attempt there, but I'm willing to gamble.......................<G>. High value thrown tug toy.


10 - Successful completion of #789 combo. Toy.

This is well within his capabilities and a thrown toy would be a good reward.


11 - Jumping and turning over #13. Food.

Within his capabilities, but a distracting environment.


12 - Finish. Toy.

Play back to set-up area.

In all 12 rewards, all planned. This I would have no problems doing in one of my advanced classes, as I'd take no longer than someone who had a couple of attempts at the weave entry.

Koda would achieve a LOT and I'd then have my results to plan out next session.