Is it possible to teach a dog to close its eyes?
September 30, 2016 7:37 AM Subscribe
I'm not talking about putting its paw on its nose. I'm talking about closing its eyelids on command and keeping them closed until released. Has anyone successfully done this trick with their dog? How?
BeaverTerror, the basics for most dog training is rewarding closer approximations to the end result. So, the trainer commands, the dog acts randomly, the trainer rewards behavior that is a step close to the desired result. So, eg, maybe just turning to face the trainer so the trainer can see the eyes. A clicker is frequently used to communicate to the dog the precise moment that they earned the reward.
If an animal can do it randomly, it can be trained to do it on command. If an animal is physically/mentally capable of doing it, it can probably eventually be trained to do it.
posted by rebent at 12:11 PM on September 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
If an animal can do it randomly, it can be trained to do it on command. If an animal is physically/mentally capable of doing it, it can probably eventually be trained to do it.
posted by rebent at 12:11 PM on September 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
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Might be an effective trust or relaxation exercise if it works.
My dogs frequently, eventually close their eyes when asked to be calm, so maybe I can bridge from that.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 8:11 AM on September 30, 2016 [2 favorites]