Video Transcription: Training a Psychiatric Service Dog Skill: Soothing Agitation

Title (white text on black): Sharon & Barnum Train a Psychiatric Service Skill

Next screen: Shaping Head Press into Thigh to Dissipate Handler Agitation

Cut to image of Barnum and Sharon on bed. Sharon is mostly under the covers and wears a wool hat. Barnum is a black bouvier, extremely fluffy. He presses his chin into Sharon’s hand while Sharon rummages for treats in a plastic bag with the other hand.

Next screen: I start with Barnum chin-targeting my hand.

Next screen: Once he’s offering chin-on-thigh, I keep up my rate of reinforcement.

Cut to video. Sharon holds out her hand, and Barnum, who is lying down next to her on the bed, puts his chin in her hand. Click/treat.

Sharon waits to see what Barnum will do next. A pause. When he doesn’t offer a behavior, Sharon puts her hand on her abdomen. Barnum chin-targets it, click/treat.

This time Barnum immediately rests his chin on Sharon’s thigh after eating his treat. Quick click/treat.

Sharon waits, and Barnum again offers chin-on-thigh, click/treat. Sharon intentionally moves her hand with the piece of hot dog onto her thigh, so that Barnum already has his head in position while eating the treat.

Barnum puts his head back down in almost the same spot, click/treat.

He swings his head over and puts his chin down more in the center of Sharon’s lap. Sharon click/treats right in position, so that immediately after eating the treat, he only has to lower his head an inch, and she can click/treat again.

They repeat this twice more.

Next screen: Then I start selecting for longer or heavier contact.

Next screen: At our next session, I start selecting for cheek/shoulder rolls.

A different day. The room is full of sunlight, and Sharon is not wearing a hat, although she is lying in bed in the same position as before. Barnum is on the bed next to her again.

Barnum puts his chin on Sharon’s thigh in the same spot that ended the previous clip, click/treat. He does it again, click/treat.

He waits for Sharon to grab a handful of treats, then tries laying his head next to her leg. Nothing. He puts it back on her thigh, click/treat.

He puts it right back down in the same spot, click/treat.

He repeats that, but this time Sharon waits. He moves his chin more toward the center of her body and earns a click.

Immediately he puts his head back in the new position, which, because it requires him to stretch further to reach, also has his head turned to the side slightly, so that his cheek is making primary contact, and more of his head is resting on Sharon’s leg.

He puts his head in the same position, but he doesn’t get a click. He tries stretching a bit, laying his head more heavily, and that earns a click.

He licks the quilt cover a couple of times, and he and Sharon make eye contact.

Next screen: Starring: Barnum as SDiT and Sharon as Trainer/Handler

Next screen: See more videos at our blog: https://aftergadget.wordpress.com