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Help with task training?

The Service and Therapy Dog forum is for all service and therapy dogs regardless of whether or not their status is legally defined by federal or state law, how they are trained, or whether or not they are "certified." Posts questioning or disputing a person's need for a service or therapy dog, the validity of a person's service or therapy dog, or the dog's ability to do the work of a service or therapy dog are not permitted in this forum. Please keep discussions fun, friendly, and helpful at all times.

  
Levi

PSDiT		 
 
Barked: Thu Sep 6, '12 12:03pm PST 
Since I haven't been able to find any trainers near me, I'm going to have to stick with my December trainer for the time being. However, to get the most out of it, I would like to start working with him as much as possible beforehand but while I have a list of tasks for him to learn, I'm not exactly sure how to start introducing him to them? Here are what I want him to do and any help on how to start training him for these things is greatly appreciated!

Deep Pressure Stimulation
Tactile Stimulation
An "off switch" for his alerting behavior
Waking me when my alarm goes off
Bringing my meds to me at certain times of day
Finding keys/phone
Searching the apartment when we get home
Grounding
Alerting to someone approaching from behind (I'm thinking by pawing my leg)
Stand-stay to put himself between me and someone else

I think there might be a couple more but that's what I can think of atm lol shrug
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Sir Selik SDIT

I'm a PSD and- proud of it!		 
 
Barked: Thu Sep 6, '12 12:51pm PST 
look at psychdog.org
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Levi

PSDiT		 
 
Barked: Thu Sep 6, '12 3:42pm PST 
Selik, I got a lot of my ideas for what tasks off of psychdog but, unless I'm missing something, nothing on there tells you HOW to actually train the behaviors, and that's more what I'm looking for.
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Scooter

Work hard; Play- harder.		 
 
Barked: Thu Sep 6, '12 8:18pm PST 
An "off switch" for his alerting behavior

That may be problematic as you can turn them off from alerting. Most end up chaining together that when they alert, you acknowledge it and then do something (breathing exercises, take meds, etc) that may or may not require their assistance. If you're talking about "turning off" the dog alerting to people behind you or other similar tasks, again, it will be very problematic.
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H.

1175100		 
 
Barked: Thu Sep 6, '12 10:29pm PST 
For bringing meds at a certain time how about start by setting an alarm to go off (one that signals meds only) and teach him to retrieve the meds whenever he hears the alarm. If you keep up the routine he will probably learn to anticipate when the alarm will sound, and eventually won't need that reminder at all.

To wake you up when your alarm goes off start by training a touch command, and then introducing the alarm when you ask him to touch you. Start off with something simple and then work it up to a nudge or jumping up on your bed or whatever you would like him to do.
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Levi

PSDiT		 
 
Barked: Thu Sep 13, '12 5:57pm PST 
Scooter - sorry, I should've been more specific. He is trained to alert me to people's presence off-leash, like when we go out to the car after dark and I have my head in the trunk digging around, if he sees someone or if we're chilling on the bed and he hears something like someone trying to get in the house, he barks. I still want him to bark but I want to be able to let him know that he did good and I hear him but it's okay and it's time to stop alerting now, ya know?
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Abrams Tank- SDiT

I'm trying to- fill some BIG- paws		 
 
Barked: Fri Sep 14, '12 9:51am PST 
Try teaching him the words ok or thank you. That could be his cue to be quiet that you hear him and that you are going to check it out.
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Levi

PSDiT		 
 
Barked: Fri Sep 14, '12 11:59pm PST 
Thanks for the help everyone. I have actually noticed that just in the last day or two he's really started to respond to "enough". More often than not when I say "enough. thank you", he stops and comes to me. It's not fool-proof yet though.
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Ezra

1241819		 
 
Barked: Sat Sep 15, '12 4:29am PST 
I'm just curious, if he lets you know there are people around by barking, what do you do when you are in church, or in class, or at the movies? Also, as far as I know even a SD can be kicked out of an apartment under the ADA if they make tons of noise. Have you thought about having him use a different behavior to let you know there are people around?
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Thor CGC

God of Thunder		 
 
Barked: Sat Sep 15, '12 10:14am PST 
I would never suggest using a bark as a signal for a service dog unless it is for a serious situation.

The dog can get kicked out for it, and it is very disruptive and unprofessional looking. Why not ask for a more discrete behavior?

With dogs one warning bark can easily escalate into more barking and lunging and whatnot. I just wouldn't do it as I have seen that happen way too many times.
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