Taught Roxy to "Touch" - Thanks Burns!

**moona** · 04-10-2008, 08:42 AM

I hope I'm posting this in the right place...

I wanted to say a big thank you to Burns for posting the video of you working with Red by the water. After I watched it, I knew I wanted to teach Roxy the "touch" command. So, when I got home from work on Tuesday, I let her outside to burn off some excess energy, took her on a walk, and then did some work with her on things she knows. Next, I rubbed a little piece of hot dog on my palm, to make it appealing for her, held my palm out and as soon as her nose touched, I rewarded and praised. We did this a few times, but if my hand was ever to far, she wouldn't move out of her "sit" to do the actual touch, so I just stuck with keeping my hand low for her. Wednesday, after work, I figured we'd work on it again. I put her in a sit, had her do the touch...she remembered and did it! However, she still wouldn't move out of her "sit." I then just had her walk around with me and while she was standing, I told her to "touch" and she brought those front paws off the ground, stood up, and touched my palm! I rewarded her and praised her like crazy. I showed my boyfriend as soon as he got home, he was shocked she learned so fast. I'm so proud of her! Thanks Burns for the video of you and Red - he is a beautiful boy - and very smart and attentive!

clipclop · 04-10-2008, 08:52 AM

very cool! nice job

**2gooddobes** · 04-10-2008, 08:53 AM

I recently taught my Dobes the touch command also. I have been having alot of fun with it. Now we are going to graduate to turning light switches on and off.

**moona** · 04-10-2008, 09:20 AM

Can you tell me how to teach the light switches? Would you point to the light switch and say touch? Or rub hot dog on the light switch? Or something else that I hadn't thought of yet..

**2gooddobes** · 04-10-2008, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moona

Can you tell me how to teach the light switches? Would you point to the light switch and say touch? Or rub hot dog on the light switch? Or something else that I hadn't thought of yet..

LMAO, i just pictured rubbing hot dogs on a light switch, my fiance would go throught the roof. I just started pointing to the switch in my kitchen and giving the touch command. I have to take a video and post it becasue Beetle now sits there flicking the switch with his Dobernose. I have to teach him he is only allowed to do it on command.

**Burns** · 04-10-2008, 10:24 AM

Thanks so cool, moona!

Great job! It's amazing how smart they are and how fast they learn, isn't it?

Keep up the great work with her, and I'm so glad my video helped with your training!!

**moona** · 04-10-2008, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2gooddobes

LMAO, i just pictured rubbing hot dogs on a light switch, my fiance would go throught the roof. I just started pointing to the switch in my kitchen and giving the touch command. I have to take a video and post it becasue Beetle now sits there flicking the switch with his Dobernose. I have to teach him he is only allowed to do it on command.

It's probably best that I got that clarification before I got to the light switches!!! If you could post a video - that would be awesome, they definitely help make me a better trainer for Roxy. This might be a dumb question, but does Beetle actually notice that the lights are going on/off, or is the focus just on touching the switch?

DobieOwner · 04-10-2008, 12:02 PM

I used this method with Ernie to ring a bell hanging on the back door for when he wants to go outside... works great!!

**2gooddobes** · 04-10-2008, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moona

It's probably best that I got that clarification before I got to the light switches!!! If you could post a video - that would be awesome, they definitely help make me a better trainer for Roxy. This might be a dumb question, but does Beetle actually notice that the lights are going on/off, or is the focus just on touching the switch?

Beetle is just OCD and likes the idea of flicking the switch.

**2gooddobes** · 04-10-2008, 12:10 PM

Also the Animal Planets site has cool how to videos on pet tricks.