So, this is it in a nutshell, the challenge of training a dog for live theater. I am working with a creature, a dog, who for the most part doesn't know English. Mind you Alli knows sit, down, stay and some other behaviors and is able to do them when I ask her to do so. But generally when we do this type of work, I am right by her side giving her the cues, both verbally and visually. Now transfer this to the stage. Remember, I don't have the privilege to simply tell her or explain to her that she should go out and sit with the kids after walking on stage with the man (even though he may forget to ask you to "let's walk" with him) while the curtain is going up. Oh, and when you get to center stage have a seat and stay there. Please don't mind the balls that the kids will be rolling right in front of you. And when the girl comes out with the keg in hand, bark at her and then go and sit down until the man falls off his chair...then sniff him before you slowly walk off stage to me. Got that Alli!
So, this is what I did...I transferred the cue "go to your place" and put a lid with a few treats on the spot that Alli needed to go to as the humans were walking out to center stage. This was a fail proof so if the human forgot to ask Alli to "let's walk" she could get on stage without help from said human. Good, she picked it up as if she had been doing it all her life. With my cue "go to your place" Alli happily runs out on stage 10 feet away from me, takes her treats and turns to face me and I ask her to sit and stay...done. The kids that are playing the bowling ball game, never fazed Alli as I told her to "leave it" (the balls, that is, the first time one rolled by her long pointy nose) and she did so from the start. Although, I did have to remind the kids not to roll the balls over Alli's feet and I had to insure that Alli's "place" was back far enough so that she could lie down and not be in the way. During our practices I reminded the actors to please remember Alli is either sitting or lying down and don't step on her...it actually happened once, a hard cowboy boot heel too, which would be enough for any sensitive type dog to say forget this I'm out of here. But with one reassuring look from me and a cue to stay...Alli didn't take offense and stayed like a champ. Alli was staying at her place well and lying down on cue and sitting back up on cue. AND I was giving her these cues from 8 to10 feet away...GREAT. We had the cue for bark down when the girl with the keg came on stage...but then a problem arose that the girl with the keg missed her cue a few times and then I lost eye contact with Alli because there was no room for me on the side lines and several people, including said girl with keg, walked in front of my line of vision with Alli and by the time I saw Alli again we missed our cue to bark completely. This happened a few times right in a row and wha la...the behavior is extinguished before we ever got it marked and set. Ok, well...perhaps they will have to put the bark on tape. After all, repetition and well timed treats are the only way Alli, who remember doesn't understand English, knows that she did what we wanted her to do.
But then this night came...I thought maybe we would be able to circumvent it and ignore it all together...maybe it wouldn't happened...not to Alli, she's been wonderful and making it all look so easy... wishful thinking. Maybe I became too comfortable, too complacent? But it came, we were visited tonight like an unwanted visit from Eddie (you know from the movie Vacation)! Alli wandered around the stage...the man got in the way of Alli and her "place" so she turned back to me off stage, she forgot how to sit and stay... It happened... It's a phenomenon that trainers talk about. It happens during a 6 week obedience class...the dogs are all doing great and catching on and learning all the behaviors and then that 3 week time period inevitably arrives and the dogs act as IF they don't have a clue what you want them to do...they acquire selective hearing. It's amazing and can be very discouraging to the human part of the equation. I've seen it happen over and over again. It reminds me when a light bulb becomes very, very bright just before it burns out. Just like the "I don't know what you are saying" is extinguished for ever and the dog gets it...they understand what you want and consistently perform the behaviors you are asking for. I had to remind myself of this phenomenon tonight...as I felt discouragement creeping around me like a cloud.
I have done this three times now...trained three dogs for live theater. The first two times we had a great deal of time to work, on the stage. But we don't have that luxury this time, another challenge for a dog who again, doesn't understand language. Oh, Alli by the way...you will be doing all of this on a very big stage, with very bright lights and lots and lots of people sitting in the audience looking at you. I am asking a great deal of Alli and I trust she will do what I have asked her to do. But, I have to remember it's not easy what I am asking of her. I have to remember that she is doing this all out of the goodness of her heart and in honor of the relationship we have built. No failures here...just outcomes...and if we have to tweak outcomes...so be it. I believe tomorrow night will be better and we will be able to practice our two little scenes and create some understanding with the humans on stage to be thoughtful of Alli and help her out, as they can.
I was thinking tonight on my long drive home that perhaps I should prefer training dogs for film...I am increasingly liking the phrase "cut". I like the thought of working only a couple feet away and doing as many "takes" as we need to get the behavior we want...such as "bark". But on the other hand, where is the challenge in that...huh, Lassie? I am glad I took on the challenge...and I remember being at this very point when training with the previous two dogs. We'll see what tomorrow holds...and I will remember to continue to thank Alli for trying her best. IF only she could talk, I would love to have her write a post to my blog! It might start out something like this..."can you believe what these silly humans had me doing tonight"! Perspective is a good thing!
No comments:
Post a Comment