Training
Calendar Cover Shots by Vicky Hall
Since 2002, ITA has produced a lovely calendar as an annual fundraiser. It has become quite popular with members, animal lovers, and other supporters of ITA. Each year we ask members to get creative with their cameras and submit interesting, high-quality photos that may be considered for the interior of the calendar. Also each year there are scheduled photo shoots to try for a really outstanding cover photo. We have had some lovely cover shots, yet still they fall short of our ideal. What can we do to improve our odds of getting a really great cover shot?
First of all, what is our goal for the cover shot? Remember, this calendar is a fundraiser and the market for dog-themed calendars is quite extensive and rather competitive. The cover shot needs to be eyecatching and interesting, as well as representative of ITA as an organization. A large group of dogs, in all colors, shapes and sizes, would fill this need in a delightful way. While this type of photo is not wholly representative of ITA because it includes only dogs, it may be wise to master the “dogs only” group photo before we try to include other species.
Besides a variety of dog sizes and types, what else is needed to make a great cover shot? The photographers will tell you that good lighting and an interesting background will do a lot to enhance the photo. However, it is also helpful to have fairly tight spacing between the dogs, and the dogs’ expressions should be confident and happy. We are fortunate to have access to some very talented photographers so that setting and lighting are mastered for us. Having been a part of several ITA photo shoots, it has been my experience that the placing of dogs and maintaining position for the photographer have been problematic. Dogs are often placed with too much space between them and they are unable to hold the position when the handlers step away out of camera range. The good news is that there is a solution to this: training— for both dogs and handlers.
All of our dogs have had at least enough training to pass the therapy dog screening test. This training includes both sit and stay. However, dogs will quickly fall into sloppy habits (just like people) if the desired behavior is not reinforced and rewarded. Training is a process rather than a product. It really is never finished but must be part of your ongoing relationship with your dog. However, it does not have to be tedious or time-consuming. You can get very good results with brief training periods that are fun and rewarding for the dog.
If you have questions about training basic obedience commands, please refer to a dog-training manual that uses positive methods. First, start with a reliable sit. When training the sit, do not repeat the command “sit” numerous times. Use food initially to lure the dog into a sitting position, pair the action with the word “sit” and reward the action immediately. A time delay is your enemy because the dog may not know what behavior you are rewarding.
Once the dog has mastered the sit in a variety of settings, work on a sit-stay. This means that once you ask the dog to sit, the dog should hold that position until you release them. A quick and easy way to begin this training is to make the dog sit for each meal. The dog is asked to sit, and the dish is then placed on the floor. The dog is not allowed to go to the food until given the release word, such as “okay.” Do not give the release word while the dog is looking at the food—make sure the dog’s attention is on you, then release them to go eat. At first you do not ask them to sit for long, but you gradually increase the amount of time that they must politely sit until released to go eat. This will only take seconds out of your day, but you must be consistent. Once you have increased the amount of time the dog sits, then you can work on increasing your distance from the dog. It is usually best to work on only one variable at a time, so when you begin to increase distance from the dog you go back to square one and only as the dog to sit for a short period of time. Gradually increase your distance from the dog when asking for the sit-stay. Once you can move a reasonable distance away, say 15-20 feet, then stay at that distance and again gradually increase the time the dog must sit before he is released. By the way, don’t do all your training sessions in relation to mealtime. That is just a suggested way to get started working on the sitstay that is fairly convenient.
Now that you have a reliable sit-stay that the dog can hold one or two minutes and with you 15 feet away, you are ready to try this in other places. Work on this in your back yard before going to a busy park. When you add a location that has a higher level of distraction, prime the dog for success by decreasing the other two variables— time and distance. Reward with food or a toy when you get the desired behavior, and watch your dog for signs of distress. A dog who is stressed has a hard time focusing on the activity and learning goes downhill rapidly. Keep training sessions fairly short and fun for the dog, and try to quit on a positive note for any training session.
Now to put it all together, handlers and their dogs need to be comfortable getting in close for the photo shoot. If you have more than one dog in your home, practice close sits. It works even better if you can find a group of dogs to practice with. If you have a fenced yard, invite some dog friends over for dog play and practice a couple of group sits. You may find it helpful to use really good treats to lure your dog into position, preferably not more than about 12” from the nearest dog. It is easiest to position the dog if you lure them forward into position, rather than trying to back them up. Some dogs have issues with personal space, so be mindful of the other dogs around you and adjust position as needed. Often it is the handlers who are reluctant to place their dogs really close to another dog, and the dog may not have a problem at all. Like any other behavior, training is important to make your dog feel comfortable in a group situation such as this, and repetition is helpful. Still, not every dog may feel comfortable being asked to sit close to other dogs. If this is the case with your dog, perhaps it would be best to not put the dog in this situation—skip the cover shot and work on really great photos for the calendar’s interior!
Everyone thinks their dog is the very best dog around, the most deserving of a place on the calendar cover, and rightfully so! We really do have a great bunch of animal therapists and handlers in our midst. We would all love to see a large grouping of all kinds of dogs for the cover of the 2006 calendar. It is up to us, the human part of the team, to make sure our dogs are trained adequately so they are comfortable in a group photo situation. If everyone starts practicing now, only a few minutes a day, we can have a really spectacular calendar cover and a photo shoot that is much less frustrating for dogs and people. As a bonus, you might find that that extra training really strengthens the bond between you and your animal companion.
Created: September 27, 2004
