Robin's five day challenge revisited

I'm doing Robin's challenge again, but with a non-dog subject. As that strays too far from the point of this journal I won't be posting the photos here, but if you want to see them they are going up on flickr. You can find them in the Ode To Trevor set.

Caiman, day five

Outside on the deck, today. Bright sun, strong shadows.


Macro shot


Copying Robin




Too bright!


Thanks for the challenge, Robin! This was fun. I'm going to try to do it again with a different subject soon.

Caiman, day four

Missed a day yesterday. I could have missed today too easily but I forced it. Nothing I'm thrilled with, but here are my required five photos:

Caiman, day three

Today's experiments took place outside. The dogs were in their yard and I was up on the deck. The sun/shadow contrast was very high so most of the photos are either over or under exposed for a large portion of the area.

I would retake this first one if I was looking for a photo to keep. He's looking terribly handsome in the middle one. In the last he's looking a little goofy, but I thought it was interesting how the angle and our relative locations messed with his proportions (great big nose, ittty bitty butt).

Caiman, day two

Today didn't go as well as yesterday. Poor Caiman spent the day at the vet's, and by the time I picked him up we were both tired.

Taken in the van on the trip home. And no, we weren't moving. Exposed for his head which left the windows completely whited out. This would be a better shot if I had cleared the clutter off the seat behind him.


These next two are the same shot but one was taken with the flash and one with the available light. The colours are better with the flash. I tend to avoid it though, as I'm often close enough to the object that the flash overexposes it.



Next we have a prop. The kong changes size relative to him, depending on how I positioned myself. In the first photo the emphasis is on the dog, in the second it is on the toy.



Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Photo challenge, day one

Robin Sallie issued a challenge to spend five days photographing a single subject. I have chosen Caiman, although I may have to switch subjects midstream as he is going in to be neutered tomorrow. At least I have other brown dogs to substitute if necessary.

I took *mumble*mumble* photos this morning. Here are five that have had no processing at all:







I particularly like how the light hits the edge of his ear in the leg close-up.

In the last (actually the first one taken) I was trying out my camera's B&W setting. The angle in that photo elongates his legs. I took some sepia too, and one that pulled out just some browns in the photo but made the rest B&W, but they weren't worth saving. Fun though!

This one needed rotating - does that count as processing? Another B&W. Handsome boy! Goofy boy? Either, both, whatever...

Kona photos

Kona in his usual pose
Originally uploaded by OSD

I took a bunch of photos today that I think turned out well. Most have nothing to do with the beasts, but these three of Kona are good enough to share.

I've been messing around with Flickr recently and today was my test post with blogging a photo from there.

This second photo doesn't show up well in the size you see here, but I'm really thrilled with the texture of his fur a larger version. You can see what I mean if you click on the photo.

Nine months old.

A quick photo snapped off on Rivet's nine month birthday. I had hoped for a better one but haven't taken it yet so I'll throw this up for now.

Training! The Beasts!

I've actually done a little bit (emphasis on "little") of training recently but apparently my record button was broken.

Rivet: Mat

Today was day #2 of working with Rivet on shaping a Mat. The first time we got to the point where she knew to put her front feet on the mat. This time we started off with about a minute of mugging the treat bowl and barking at me but then she looked at the mat, the lightbulb went off, and she stepped onto it. Bingo!

I just had a bowl full of treats and was having a grand time c/ting her for 4 feet on the mat and flinging the treat (she pounces with both front feet sometimes - cute as anything) when I realized I was clicking for motion. We get what we reward, right? So I paused to see what would happen.

Oh my... She got on, she got off, she got on from the right, she got on from the left, she came right up to me and backed on... For a dog that's had maybe half a dozen shaping sessions she is very willing to try! Finally I clicked for 2 feet on when there might have been a moment of hesitation in her movement and then I c/ted about 6 times in place before I tossed the next treat.

We repeated that twice more and I quit. In a way we're back where we started but I'm pleased with the session.

Rivet: Crate

Counted out 10 treats, c/t for entering the crate, tossed treat into crate, waited for her to come out again on her own. I should have timed this as she caught on very quickly. This was the first time working on this with the clicker although she is crated daily and quite happy in there.

Caiman and Kona

Quick session of front with Caiman, rewarding Kona for staying on a mat. Didn't go too well but it was the first double session in a long time. Caiman offered a nose bop to my belly a number of times which cracked me up.

Believe it or not...

Rivet actually got trained yesterday. I took her to the new PetSmart at 17th and the Whitemud. It was very quiet there - New Years Day and all - which was perfect for little Miss Undersocialized. She did great! A couple of things needed to be watched carefully for a while, and there was a little bit of nervousness, but she also took treats the whole time and was interested and playful for most of it. She also wagged over to anyone who showed interest in her. I realize that a quiet day at PetSmart is not the same as a busy show building but I'm still pleased with how comfortable she was. We'll have to do this again on a busier day too.

Before we left I went into the training area and worked on Doggie Zen for a while. I don't think we've done this at all before but she caught on very quickly and was leaning backwards away from the treat to make me click by the time we were done.

Time flies!

Puppygirl Rivet is five months old now. Inconceivable!

First, a photo from when she was still a baby.



Next, here she is the day she turned 5 months old.



A couple of weeks ago Peggy brought Reggie came over for a romp. My camera settings were off, and I actually managed to break the camera (well, child #2 knocked it over, but I left it where she could do that), but here are some could-have-been great shots.











And lastly, pretty girl Reggie, taking a break!

Is there anything cuter than a sleeping puppy?

Puppy nose.


Puppy toes.


Rivet, out like a light.


And a close up, just because...

Puppypuppypuppypuppy!!!

While I could chose to be embarassed at how thoroughly I fell off the training wagon after starting this blog, I've done it too many times to do so. I've trained my dogs since February, if only sporatically, but I didn't record anything.

The newest beast arrives later today. Countdown has begun! She'll be landing at the airport in just over 4 hours. Since this journal exists, I hope to use it to record at least some of our adventures.

Feb 19 2007

Stand stays today with both dogs - measured out their breakfasts but ran out of patience before I ran out of kibble.

Caiman
1 handful - 1 sec pause
1 handful - 2 sec pause
1 handful - 3 sec pause
-break-
1 handful 3 sec pause
1 handful 4 sec pause
1 handful 5 sec pause - sat 3x
-break-
1 handful split in thirds - 4 sec, 5 sec and 6 sec pauses. Moved 1x
1 handful yo-yoing between 4, 5, and 6 seconds. Moved 2x

Kona
2 handfuls 1 sec pause. Sat or tried other things at least 7 or 8 times. Watited for stand and rewarded that each time.
-break-
Modified Sue Eh method:
5x 1 sec 5x 2 sec 5x 3 sec 5x moved
3x 1 sec 3x moved
3x 1 sec 3x 2 sec 3x 3 sec 3x moved
3x 1 sec 3x 2 sec 3x 3 sec 3x 4 sec 5x 4 sec 5x (end)
3x 1 sec 3x sat
3x 1 sec, repeated for handful
3x 1 sec, 3x 2 sec, 3x moved

I am thinking that Kona needs a more random reinforcement schedule. I leant my Morgan Spector book to Heather or I could use his tables, but I think I can probably wing it.

Feb 17 2007

Both boys have been to rally class this week. Two sessions today. First was short and distracted, so I quit until I had more patience.

Second session, in basement, using kibble. Need to work on Stand Stay with both dogs so tackling that. Tried 300Peck method first - noted time in seconds until dog moved.

Caiman
4,5,5,4,3,5,5,5,5,4

Kona
2,3,2,1,2,2,2,3,6,4

So, that isn't working. Perhaps we aren't ready for this yet and should get the basic understanding before moving on to this. Tried again using Sue Eh?'s method of rapid firing treats and then pausing for a second before repeating.

Caiman
5x, 1 sec, 5x, 2 sec, ... got up to 5 second pause and ran out of treats.
Repeat exactly, ran out after 5 sec
Repeated using 3x. Got to 7 second pause, repeated 6 sec, then he moved.

Kona
5x, 1 sec, 5x, 2 sec, 5x, 3 sec, 5x, he moved.
Repeat, got to 4 second pause and I dropped kibble so he moved.
Repeat, using 3x, failed at 3 sec.
Repeat, using 3x. Yo-yoed around between 2 & 3 seconds for a bit, then got to 4 seconds once, back to 3 seconds and quit. There's hope!

Feb 8 2007

Caiman
10x Lure stand beside wall. 4x difficulties, next 6x textbook
10x No lure. Laid down 2x
10x Same. Had to lure 3rd time but rest good.

Kona
10x Lure stand beside wall. Perfect kickbacks from my dog that walks into a stand!
10x No lure. He is creeping forward ever-so-slightly and I got distracted and tried to fix that.
10x Same. Kids very disruptive so lured first 2x

Feb 6 & 7 2007

On the sixth I had a quick mini-session with each dog. 5-10 cheerios, no planning, no particular results.

On the seventh:

Caiman
20x Misc rally level one exercises just to see where we are. Need to work on fronts, around finish, and stand.

Kona
20x fronts. I was mostly pivoting and he was having to move to new position. If I pivoted left he did okay, if I privot right he wants to go to heel.

Feb 3 2007

Cleaned the carpets today, and thought that it might be a good time to video the boys while there was more space open.

Kona's video is here and Caiman's is here on YouTube. I think the sound is off because while my timing is bad I really don't think it is THAT bad.

Caiman
20x Moving sidestep. This was the first time I've really tried this with him - aside from a couple of Lets See What We Have experiments. He really tries to hold his position much better than Kona ever does, but the bouncy feet help I think.
20x Repeat. M videoed for me.

Kona
20x Moving sidesstep. He is doing better just moving sideways than when I try to incorporate the heeling too.
20x Repeat. M videoed for me. Kona's brain fell out of his ear, so we didn't do so well.

Feb 2 2007

Caiman
20x down at heel position. Just needed something quick I could do with him.

Kona
20x moving sidestep. Left hand starting from heel every time. He's getting it - GOOD DOG!

Feb 1 2007

The first day of the new month. I have fallen off the training wagon slightly this last week but I'm trying to climb in again. Brief session today on the grounds that anything was better than nothing.

Caiman
20x LUturns in hallway. 1x good, 5x attempted to sit so no c/t, then the next 19x were good.

Kona
20x Moving sidestep. Worked on my hand signal transitioning from heel position to back in a "get back" style movement. Used the verbal "get in", although I doubt he differentiates it from "get back".