text:
User talk:Sack

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Hello, welcome to Wikibooks!

You will find more resources in Community Portal. If you want to ask a question, visit the Study help desk, the Staff lounge, IRC channel or ask me personally on my talk page. For site news, see the Bulletin board. It might be a good idea to add this page to your "watchlist" so that you can see when any new information is posted there. You can do that by clicking the tab labeled "watch" at the top of the page.

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Radiation oncology
Sack, thanks for your help with the Radiation Oncology wikibook! — Brim 16:35, 12 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Indeed, thanks for you help with it! Tdvorak (talk) 23:29, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

Now clue if this is how I respond, but in any event, this book is brilliant! Thank you so much, I reference it multiple times per week. - Sack p.s. I have no clue if this is how I communicate with the two of you, but I'm just a helpful bystander.
 * This way is as good as any other way :) Alternatively, you can post a comment on my own user page. Or on the main book discussion page. Happy that you find the book useful, and even happier that you are contributing to it! Tdvorak (talk) 05:20, 11 May 2008 (UTC)

I just logged on to update the prostate 92-02 data. Tdvorak, you are just too darn fast for me. Nicely done - Sack
 * *grin* I cheat a bit; on PubMed I have an automatic query that triggers once a month and sends me all randomized trials involving radiation therapy that were published within 30 days. Most journals now pre-publish their articles online first, before they make it to the print issue, sometimes with a lead of several months.
 * BTW, if you use 4x "~" at the end, it will autosign your comment with a time-stamp. Tdvorak (talk) 12:27, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

title: User talk:Sack


text:
User talk:Maideii~enwikibooks

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Your account will be renamed
Hello,

The developer team at Wikimedia is making some changes to how accounts work, as part of our on-going efforts to provide new and better tools for our users like cross-wiki notifications. These changes will mean you have the same account name everywhere. This will let us give you new features that will help you edit and discuss better, and allow more flexible user permissions for tools. One of the side-effects of this is that user accounts will now have to be unique across all 900 Wikimedia wikis. See the announcement for more information.

Unfortunately, your account clashes with another account also called Maideii. To make sure that both of you can use all Wikimedia projects in future, we have reserved the name Maideii~enwikibooks that only you will have. If you like it, you don't have to do anything. If you do not like it, you can pick out a different name.

Your account will still work as before, and you will be credited for all your edits made so far, but you will have to use the new account name when you log in.

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Yours, Keegan Peterzell Community Liaison, Wikimedia Foundation 23:27, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Renamed
 This account has been renamed as part of single-user login finalisation. If you own this account you can |log in using your previous username and password for more information. If you do not like this account's new name, you can choose your own using this form after logging in: . -- Keegan (WMF) (talk) 05:13, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: User talk:Maideii~enwikibooks


text:
User talk:Pyleman

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title: User talk:Pyleman


text:
User talk:Kmmoore~enwikibooks

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If all that seems too much to wade through, you're welcome to ask any question at all on the New Users Page of the Staff Lounge. Just hit the "+" sign on the top of that page, and enter your question! Webaware talk 10:30, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

Your account will be renamed
Hello,

The developer team at Wikimedia is making some changes to how accounts work, as part of our on-going efforts to provide new and better tools for our users like cross-wiki notifications. These changes will mean you have the same account name everywhere. This will let us give you new features that will help you edit and discuss better, and allow more flexible user permissions for tools. One of the side-effects of this is that user accounts will now have to be unique across all 900 Wikimedia wikis. See the announcement for more information.

Unfortunately, your account clashes with another account also called Kmmoore. To make sure that both of you can use all Wikimedia projects in future, we have reserved the name Kmmoore~enwikibooks that only you will have. If you like it, you don't have to do anything. If you do not like it, you can pick out a different name.

Your account will still work as before, and you will be credited for all your edits made so far, but you will have to use the new account name when you log in.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Yours, Keegan Peterzell Community Liaison, Wikimedia Foundation 23:20, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Renamed
 This account has been renamed as part of single-user login finalisation. If you own this account you can |log in using your previous username and password for more information. If you do not like this account's new name, you can choose your own using this form after logging in: . -- Keegan (WMF) (talk) 05:09, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

title: User talk:Kmmoore~enwikibooks


text:
User talk:Jboyce~enwikibooks

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If all that seems too much to wade through, you're welcome to ask any question at all on the New Users Page of the Staff Lounge. Just hit the "+" sign on the top of that page, and enter your question! Webaware talk 10:30, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

Your account will be renamed
Hello,

The developer team at Wikimedia is making some changes to how accounts work, as part of our on-going efforts to provide new and better tools for our users like cross-wiki notifications. These changes will mean you have the same account name everywhere. This will let us give you new features that will help you edit and discuss better, and allow more flexible user permissions for tools. One of the side-effects of this is that user accounts will now have to be unique across all 900 Wikimedia wikis. See the announcement for more information.

Unfortunately, your account clashes with another account also called Jboyce. To make sure that both of you can use all Wikimedia projects in future, we have reserved the name Jboyce~enwikibooks that only you will have. If you like it, you don't have to do anything. If you do not like it, you can pick out a different name.

Your account will still work as before, and you will be credited for all your edits made so far, but you will have to use the new account name when you log in.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Yours, Keegan Peterzell Community Liaison, Wikimedia Foundation 23:16, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Renamed
 This account has been renamed as part of single-user login finalisation. If you own this account you can |log in using your previous username and password for more information. If you do not like this account's new name, you can choose your own using this form after logging in: . -- Keegan (WMF) (talk) 05:04, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

title: User talk:Jboyce~enwikibooks


text:
User talk:AlexanderFox~enwikibooks

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Your account will be renamed
Hello,

The developer team at Wikimedia is making some changes to how accounts work, as part of our on-going efforts to provide new and better tools for our users like cross-wiki notifications. These changes will mean you have the same account name everywhere. This will let us give you new features that will help you edit and discuss better, and allow more flexible user permissions for tools. One of the side-effects of this is that user accounts will now have to be unique across all 900 Wikimedia wikis. See the announcement for more information.

Unfortunately, your account clashes with another account also called AlexanderFox. To make sure that both of you can use all Wikimedia projects in future, we have reserved the name AlexanderFox~enwikibooks that only you will have. If you like it, you don't have to do anything. If you do not like it, you can pick out a different name.

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Yours, Keegan Peterzell Community Liaison, Wikimedia Foundation 22:56, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Renamed
 This account has been renamed as part of single-user login finalisation. If you own this account you can |log in using your previous username and password for more information. If you do not like this account's new name, you can choose your own using this form after logging in: . -- Keegan (WMF) (talk) 04:30, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

title: User talk:AlexanderFox~enwikibooks


text:
User talk:Dinglemouse~enwikibooks

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Your account will be renamed
Hello,

The developer team at Wikimedia is making some changes to how accounts work, as part of our on-going efforts to provide new and better tools for our users like cross-wiki notifications. These changes will mean you have the same account name everywhere. This will let us give you new features that will help you edit and discuss better, and allow more flexible user permissions for tools. One of the side-effects of this is that user accounts will now have to be unique across all 900 Wikimedia wikis. See the announcement for more information.

Unfortunately, your account clashes with another account also called Dinglemouse. To make sure that both of you can use all Wikimedia projects in future, we have reserved the name Dinglemouse~enwikibooks that only you will have. If you like it, you don't have to do anything. If you do not like it, you can pick out a different name.

Your account will still work as before, and you will be credited for all your edits made so far, but you will have to use the new account name when you log in.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Yours, Keegan Peterzell Community Liaison, Wikimedia Foundation 23:05, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Renamed
 This account has been renamed as part of single-user login finalisation. If you own this account you can |log in using your previous username and password for more information. If you do not like this account's new name, you can choose your own using this form after logging in: . -- Keegan (WMF) (talk) 04:53, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

title: User talk:Dinglemouse~enwikibooks


text:
User talk:Catscandal

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You might also be interested to read our Cookbook policy page and talk to other Cookbook editors. Webaware talk 10:35, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:Catscandal


text:
Linear Algebra/Characteristic Equation

The matrix definition of an eigen value is very useful since it allows us to find eigen values for a given matrix using the following theorem:

 * $$ \lambda $$ is an eigen value of $$A$$ iff $$det(A - \lambda I_n v) = 0. $$

Proof:

 * If $$ Av = \lambda v $$ then

$$ \Rightarrow Av = \lambda I_n v$$

$$ \Rightarrow Av - \lambda I_n v = 0$$

$$ \Rightarrow (A - \lambda I_n) v = 0$$

but since $$ v$$ is non-zero we know that $$ (A - \lambda I_n) $$ is singular, ie it's determinant is zero so an eigen value of A will satisfy the equation

 * $$det(A - \lambda I_n v) = 0. $$

which is known as the characteristic equation. (haven't proved the converse, but this is not required when calculating eigenvalues).

In the case $$ A $$ is a $$ 2x2 $$ matrix, this equation leads to the characteristic polynomial :

 * $$ det( \begin{bmatrix}a_{11} & a_{12} \\ a_{21} & a_{22}\end{bmatrix} - \lambda \begin{bmatrix}1 & 0 \\ 0 & 1\end{bmatrix} ) = 0 $$

 * $$ \Rightarrow det( \begin{bmatrix}a_{11} & a_{12} \\ a_{21} & a_{22}\end{bmatrix} - \begin{bmatrix} \lambda & 0 \\ 0 & \lambda \end{bmatrix} ) = 0 $$

 * $$ \Rightarrow det\begin{bmatrix}a_{11}- \lambda & a_{12} \\ a_{21} & a_{22} - \lambda \end{bmatrix} = 0 $$

 * $$ \Rightarrow (a_{11} - \lambda)(a_{22} - \lambda) - a_{21} a_{12} = 0 $$
 * $$ \Rightarrow \lambda^2 - ( a_{11} + a_{22} ) \lambda + a_{11} a_{22} - a_{12} a_{21} = 0  $$

This is simply a quadratic equation and the roots of this are the eigen values of $$ A $$

In order to find the corresponding eigen vectors, we simply solve the equation $$ Av = \lambda v $$ which will be two simultaneous equations. There will in fact be infinitely many solutions to this equation since any scalar multiple of an eigen vector is also an eigen vector.

title: Linear Algebra/Characteristic Equation


text:
Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Re1

=Ruy Lopez Main Line=

Now the White's own e-pawn is defended, the threat Bxc6 followed by Nxe5 winning a pawn becomes a serious problem for Black.

 * 6...b5 permanently cuts out any of that nonsense.

There's also
 * 6...d6, the Averbakh Variation. It looks like Black has just forgotten which order to play the moves in, because in most Closed Ruy Lopez variations White will eventually bring the bishop back to c2, and 6...d6 allows White to play Ba4-c2 in a single move thus saving a tempo. On the other hand, trying to take advantage of that fact with 7.c3 gives Black a spare tempo of her own to play ...Bg4, and whenever a bishop appears on g4 in the Closed Ruy Lopez you know White is going to have to play d3 and bring the queen's knight across to the kingside to drive the bishop away before considering d4. On the other other hand, Magnus Carlsen voluntarily plays d3 instead of d4 even without a bishop on g4, so the current verdict seems to be that 6...d6 loses a tempo for no reason.

Theory table
.

'''1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6.Re1'''


text:
Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Re1/6...b5

=Ruy Lopez Main Line=

7. Bb3 is necessary to save the bishop.


text:
User:Lindsay Ridgeway/Reward-based Field Training for Retrievers/Basic Retriever Skills

Sit
Field retrievers need to be able to sit on cue in a number of different situations:

 * While waiting in a blind
 * After coming to heel on either side at the line, for a marked or blind retrieve
 * When delivering the bird after a retrieve
 * During handling, before a "back" or "over" cue
 * In numerous non-fieldwork situations, such as when arriving at the curb before crossing a street

For the experienced dog, in many of those situations, the context acts as the cue, and the only reason to have a verbal cue is during the training phase. For example, it may not be necessary to verbally cue "sit" during delivery of the bird.

On the other hand, the whistle sit is needed whenever the dog is handled.

Training the Behavior
Many people train "sit" by either forcing the dog into a sit position (however gently), or by luring the dog into a sit with a treat or hand target.

It is unnecessary to train "sit" in either of those ways, and both create additional associations within the learning process that are unrelated to the desired behavior and that the dog will eventually need to unlearn. For example, both of those methods require the trainer to be in close proximity to the dog, whereas field dogs need to learn to sit when cued even from hundreds of yards away.

Here's a way to train "sit" called capturing the behavior:

 * 1) Take the dog, a clicker and a handful of treats into a small, quiet room with no distractions.  A small bathroom may serve the purpose.
 * 2) To get the dog into the training game, click and treat three times.  No behavior is required by the dog to earn these treats.
 * 3) Sit down and wait.  Eventually, the dog will also sit down.
 * 4) At the very instant that the dog puts his butt on the floor, click and treat.
 * 5) Use your hand or another treat to lure the dog out of the sit, then repeat.
 * 6) Once the dog begins to quickly sit again as soon as you've distracted him out of the sit, you can begin clicking and then using that treat to get him out of the sit.  This will fill him up more slowly and give you more productive training time.
 * 7) After the dog is reliably sitting down repeatedly, say "sit" just as he is sitting down several times.
 * 8) When you can anticipate the moment before he is about to sit, say "sit" an instant before the sit a few times.
 * 9) Soon, you will see from the dog's alertness that he is responding to your verbal cue.  When you see that, try saying "sit" at a moment when the dog was not about to sit anyway.  If he sits, the behavior is now on cue.  If not, return to the earlier steps a bit longer.
 * 10) If the dog is sometimes not looking at you when he sits, stop clicking and treating any sits when he is not looking at you.  You want to "sit" to be an attention cue as well as having the dog in a sit position.

It is not necessary that all of the above steps occur in a single session. Take as many short, fun sessions as necessary to get "sit" on cue.

Notice that you are not requiring the dog to face you, or sit in heel position, or be near you when he sits. Although any of those criteria might be desirable for some performance dogs, it is advantageous for the retriever to be able to sit on cue in any position and at any distance. Be sure to add enthusiastic praise when he sits at some distance from you.

"Sit" as Muscular Impulse
An interesting phenomenon is that "sit" has probably become a particular muscular impulse for your dog, not a position. As a result, you may find that the dog will not understand "sit" if you cue it when the dog is lying down or in any other position besides standing.

It is generally not necessary for a field dog to respond to "sit" from any other position besides standing, but if you wish for the dog to be able to respond to "sit" from those positions, realize that you will have to train them separately. Some trainers use a different cue, so that "sit" continues to be the name of a muscular movement and can become essentially reflexive without any conscious thought from the dog.

Eliminating Latency
Latency is the delay after a cue is given before the dog responds. Many trainers feel that when a dog is learning a new behavior, he may need time to think about the cue, and the trainer watches for that "lightbulb moment" when the dog seems to figure out what you're asking him to do, that is, what will earn him reinforcement.

However, watching for the lightbulb moment may lead you into a trap. You give the cue and then you wait, and when the dog finally sits down, you celebrate his newfound understanding with special enthusiasm. Even though he eventually does sit down, he has now begun to learn that "sit" does not require an instantaneous movement in order to be reinforced. He may have even learned that the delay increased his reward.

It is a matter of individual style how soon you want to stop clicking and treating for slow responses. One legitimate approach is to never click for more than a split second of latency. You may never get to see a lightbulb moment that way, but you also won't have to extinguish slow latency later. Extinguish means to eliminate a behavior by not reinforcing it.

The key to this is sharp observation. During training, you want a correct response at least 70% of the time you give a cue. If your criteria for a correct response includes split second latency, it behooves you to give cues in such a way that the dog is able to respond correctly at least 70% of the time. If the dog is not doing so, you have raised other criteria, such as distractions or distance, too fast.

Extending the Behavior
A number of extensions of "sit" will be required once the behavior is learned:

 * Generalizing for location
 * Distraction proofing
 * Hold and sit
 * Whistle sit
 * Distance sit

Each of these is discussed in the following sections.

Generalizing for Location
After training "sit" in the small, quiet location you used for the initial training, you are likely to discover that the dog does not seem to know what "sit" means in any other location. This is because dogs are brilliant discriminators, often cueing on stimuli that was not intended as part of the cue.

So once "sit" is trained in the first location, retrain it repeatedly in other locations. You may need to follow all the same steps, though it's likely they'll go increasingly quickly each time the behavior is retrained. For example:

 * Train in the living room.
 * Train in the kitchen.
 * Train on the front porch.
 * Train in the front yard.
 * Train in the back yard.
 * Train elsewhere in the neighborhood.
 * Train at various training fields.

Eventually, your dog will realize that "sit" means the same thing regardless of location.

Distraction Proofing
Just as the dog will initially consider location as one of the stimuli cueing the behavior, he will also take other criteria into account, such as the presense of other people and objects, noise, light, smells, and so forth.

Just as you retrained the dog to sit on cue in new locations, you will also need to repeatedly retrain "sit" as more distractions are added. It is common to think that the dog "knows" the behavior and is inadventently or intentionally ignoring you. A simpler way of thinking about it is that the dog is responding to stimuli, and has not yet learned which stimuli matter and which do not. By retraining "sit" under a series of increasingly distracting situations, the dog can gradually sort out that the only sequence that predicts he will receive reinforcement is whether you cue him to sit and he does so. As simple as that concept may sound, it takes dogs time to learn it, and it's a lesson they have to learn many times before they begin to generalize it for new distractions and other behaviors.

As you are generalizing for location (see above), also begin to add distractions. Eventually, train to the point where the dog responds correctly in even the most challenging conditions, such as around other dogs or with a tennis ball rolling past him.

Whistle Sit
To be edited

Another thing you can do is to get a whistle sit with Deuce facing you. With Deuce at some distance, call him to you. When he gets close, while still facing you, whistle one tweet, then immediately use your current "sit" cue. The instant his butt hits the ground, reinforce. You'll have to decide what reinforcement works best for this. It could be praise, it could be throwing a toy. I like using a click and a treat.

After you've done that a few times, Deuce will anticipate the "sit" cue as soon as you whistle. Of course, reinforce him for sitting on the whistle and not waiting for the verbal or visual cue. Once that seems to be fairly reliable, practice-practice-practice using one tweet on the whistle to cue a sit.

Traditional trainers use force (a heeling stick and/or an e-collar) to train a very fast response to the whistle. Since we're not using force, we need to substitute lots of reps and lots of high-value reinforcement.

Distance Sit
To train the dog sit and face you at any distance, even hundreds of yards away:

To be edited

The way I would approach it is with a barrier of some kind. You don't need to train it with the whistle. You can train it with the verbal cue, then add the whistle later.

So, for example, in a hallway, you'd put a couple of chairs or something else to block the dog from coming through. Then with the dog on one side, and with you, treats, and a clicker on the other side, you'd cue "sit". Initially, you'd be as close to him as ever, so assuming his sit is already reliable, he'd sit and you'd click/treat.

If he has a "stand" cue, use that to get him on his feet, then click/treat again. If not, you could either take a few days to train "stand", or you could hold the treat in such a way that the dog has to stand to get it, or you could toss the treat on the floor behind him so he has to stand to get to it.

After 2-3 of those, you'd step back one step. Because of the barrier, he can't follow you, so again you'll cue "sit". Hopefully, he'll sit. If not, move closer, do a few more reps, then step back again. Continue in this way until you've got fairly good distance, perhaps 6-8 feet. Each time the dog sits, click and rush forward with a treat.

After that, you have a variety of things to do, in whatever order works best.:

 * You need to fade the barrier. In other words, switch from two chairs to just one (he could get through if he wanted to but you won't reinforce if he does).  Then a lower barrier, then a carpet, and finally no barrier at all.

 * You need to proof for new locations, such as the front yard and eventually the field.

 * You need to proof for distractions, such as a bowl of food on the floor, or balloons, or family members wandering around. You'd introduce the distractions first at distance that doesn't bother him, and over a period of one or more sessions, move them closer a little at a time.  If he becomes distracted, move them further out again, then start working them closer again.

 * You need to add the whistle tweet as a "sit" cue. To do that, tweet and then cue "sit" several times.  Soon, he'll begin to anticipate the verbal cue when he hears the whistle and you won't need to actually say the verbal cue.

 * You need to build distance. Eventually he'll need to be able to sit from hundreds of yards away.  That's not necessary now, but once you've faded the barrier, start working on greater distances.  One way is with the dog inside a tennis court and you outside.

The reason that distance sit is difficult for most dogs is because of how it's trained originally. Typically a dog will need to learn a whole new concept of what the cue means, that it's a muscle movement, not a position near you. Hopefully, though, he'll get it pretty quickly. The more reinforcement he gets for success, the easier it will be for him to repeat.

Shaping the Behavior

 * Prerequisites: "touch" (hand target), "sit", and sit while holding an article in the mouth Note: Laddie sat without dropping the article without that being trained; that possibility needs to be integrated into this section.

 * Work in a quiet, non-distracting room with a handful of treats and a clicker.

 * Position yourself with the dog behind you and on the side which is not holding the treats and clicker.

 * Put your hand at your side with the palm facing backwards and cue "touch".

 * As soon as the dog touches your hand, cue "sit". "Sit" acts as a reinforcer for "touch".

 * When the dog sits, click and reinforce with a treat. You can feed in position, then call the dog out of position to set up next rep, or toss the treat on the ground to pull the dog out of the sit and set up the next rep.

 * Work both sides.

Extending the Behavior

 * Gradually shape improved position of the sit until the dog is sitting directly beside you, facing in the exact direction he was walking as he came to your hand. This will be valuable later for casting.

 * When he's sitting in the correct position, you can add a cue word or let your hand movement evolve into a visual cue.

 * Gradually use the cue to call him to heel from other positions than directly behind you. The eventual goal is for him to be able to come to heel when running toward you from in front.

 * Combine with steadiness training so that the dog is reinforced for coming to heel by the opportunity to retrieve.

 * Add carrying a dummy, Dokken or bird while coming to heel ("coming to heel" is a phrase that traditionally includes the sit).

 * Generalize for location and proof for distractions.

Building Motivation
Here's a game that Lindsay Ridgeway used to motivation for the chain of behaviors that make up a retrieve in training Laddie, his Golden puppy, in August 2007:

 * 1) Swing the dog to heel and cue "sit".  Reinforce with food.
 * 2) Throw the dummy.  Dog waits in sit position, coiled and ready to spring.
 * 3) Release the dog by calling the dog's name.
 * 4) As the dog runs back with the dummy, swing him to heel and cue "sit".  If he's played the game enough, he'll sit with the dummy in his mouth even though he might not be able to keep the dummy in his mouth while sitting as an isolated behavior.
 * 5) Take the dummy and reinforce with food.
 * 6) Again throw the dummy as dog waits for release.

If the dog won't hold the dummy while sitting, take the dummy before cueing "sit", or even before cueing the swing to heel. As the dog's motivation for the game increases over time, you may find it's unnecessary to train the hold as a separate behavior, and that one day you'll cue "sit" while the dummy is in the dog's mouth and he'll just do it.

[More material]
NOTE TO LINDSAY. Merge this with the notes above. Note that the section notes above click/treat for "touch", and uses "sit" to reinforce "touch" from the beginning of the training. That is a preferred approach, but other material in the section below should also be retained.

A field dog comes to heel at the line before a marked or blind retrieve, and again to deliver the bird or dummy after the retrieve.

A prerequisite to this training is the dog responding to a hand target (see the section Hand Target in the chapter "Foundation Behaviors").

To train coming to heel and sitting:

 * 1) Go to a quiet location with the dog, a clicker and a handful of treats.
 * 2) Click and treat three times in quick succession to get the dog into the game.
 * 3) Move into a position so that the dog is behind you off either flank, put your hand at your side as a target, and cue "touch".  Click and treat.
 * 4) Repeat, randomly calling for "touch" on either side of you.  If the dog is less responsive on one side than the other, practice that side more until he is equally responsive on both sides.
 * 5) As that becomes fluent, the verbal cue "touch" will no longer be needed.  Click and treat with special praise and enthusiasm for the dog responding to the visual cue alone.
 * 6) Next, cue "sit" at the moment that the dog touches your hand.  Click and treat for the dog sitting.
 * 7) Continue to repeat that behavior, gradually requiring more and more behavior from your dog:
 * 8) * Instead of the dog being directly behind you, start with him pointed at your hip, then lead him 90 degrees around and into position.
 * 9) * Gradually increase the size of the turn until you can bring him around from in front of you.
 * 10) * Gradually ease the requirement that the dog actually touch your hand, as long as he comes to the desired position.
 * 11) * Click for rough positioning at first, then gradually raise your standards and don't click if he doesn't meet your current criteria. If he is successful less than 70% of the time, you've raised the bar too high and he's not getting reinforced enough to stay in the game and enjoy it.  If he is successful more than 80% of the time, you can increase your criteria a bit.
 * 12) * Again, practice both sides in unpredictable sequence.
 * 13) Occasionally, the dog will sit before you have a chance to cue "sit", perhaps because he is not quite in position.  If he is not too far out of position, click and treat for that anticipation, so that he will learn to sit without the verbal cue.  Then gradually raise the criteria so that you only click and treat if he is in position when he goes into his sit.
 * 14) Because you are training both sides, you may not want to bother to train separate verbal cues for each side.  Instead, you can gradually fade your target hand into a more subtle version, such as a wristy spiral movement, and let that serve as your visual cue for "come to heel and sit".

As with training "sit" above, you'll need to generalize coming to heel for location and retrain it under increasing levels of distractions.

Take your time with this, so that coming to heel presents a facile, joyous picture.

Steadiness
A field dog is said to be steady if he can wait at heel until released without any physical restraint. In some venues, it is also impermissible to use verbal cueing.

The two situations a dog typically needs to be steady in competition is when waiting at the line while marks are thrown, and when honoring while another dog runs marks.

Some methods of steadiness training can be de-motivating for the dog, and some trainers prefer to delay training of steadiness. In fact, in the lower levels of competition, such as Working Certificate (WC) and Junior Hunter (JH), the focus is on natural ability rather than training and the dog is not required to be steady. Typically, dogs competing in those events are restrained at the line with a check cord, and no honoring is required by the event.

But reward-based trainers often work to develop control in drive, that is, a high level of motivation simultaneous with self-control, from the beginning. The goal is to develop intense focus while waiting, and explosive drive to the mark when released.

Training Steadiness
Here is a method used by Lindsay Ridgeway for training Laddie, his male Golden, starting in July 2007 when Laddie was 11 weeks old. At that time, Laddie had been practicing tug, "sit", and retrieving for about four weeks.

The Game

 * 1) Holding the dog in your arms, put down the dummy at arms length from the starting line and get a cookies (such as a meatball from the dog's meal) and the dog's tug toy.
 * 2) Put the dog on the ground, cue "sit", and feed for that response.
 * 3) As soon as the dog has eaten the cookie, cue the retrieve.  Traditionally, the dog's name is called out, for example, "Laddie!"
 * 4) Ideally, the dog runs to the dummy, picks it up, and runs back to you with it.
 * 5) *If he doesn't leave the line, run with him part way or all the way to the dummy.
 * 6) *If he runs with you but doesn't pick up the dummy, pick it up and throw it a short ways.
 * 7) *If he still doesn't pick up the dummy, either this is a bad time to train, or he hasn't had enough work with simple retrieving.
 * 8) *If he doesn't return to you with the dummy, try running away from him to get him to chase you with the dummy.
 * 9) *If he still doesn't return to you with the dummy, put him on a long line (perhaps 25') so that you can gently reel him in after he has the dummy in his mouth. Do not let him rehearse not returning to you with the dummy.  That can be a self-reinforcing behavior that you do not want to have to untrain later.
 * 10) When the dog arrives with the dummy, take it from him and instantly reinforce.  A great way to do that is to bring out his tug toy and snake it around on the ground to get him playing tug with you.  Other possibilities include handing him a bite of food or throwing the dummy out for him to run and retrieve again.  See  Notes below.
 * 11) Pick the dog up and cuddle him, then repeat from the beginning.

Extending the Behavior

 * 1) Once the dog is playing the game reliably, gradually increase the amount of time for the dog to sit before you cue the retrieve.
 * 2) * If he breaks, as he inevitably will in the early sessions, simply pick up the dummy and reposition him at the line, then again cue "sit".
 * 3) * It's essential that you not cue the retrieve an instant after he breaks, since that reinforces the break. He must wait until you cue the retrieve, or you pick up the dummy.
 * 4) Once the dog is reliably waiting for the retrieve cue when the dummy is at arm's length, gradually introduce tossing the dummy while he is waiting.
 * 5) Once the dog is reliably waiting when you toss the dummy, use someone else to act as your "gunner", throwing the mark for your dog while he remains steady.
 * 6) Next, assuming the dog has been introduced to gunfire, have the gunner fire a blank pistol before throwing the mark.

Swimming
Another name for retrievers is 'waterdogs'. Most retrievers will take to swimming, especially for retrieving, easily.

Important The worst thing you can do is to throw the dog into the water. The second worst is to coerce him into the water.

Instead of using physical force or any sort of coercion:

 * 1) Find some fairly clear water with an easy entry and wade in as far as you dare.  Hopefully your dog will follow you out there.  If not, quit and try again another time.
 * 2) Once he is comfortable getting his feet wet, throw a dummy a foot or two from shore for the dog to chase.
 * 3) If you have already trained "give it", you can cue for him to retrieve to hand.  Otherwise, you can wade out to pick up the dummy to throw again.
 * 4) Very gradually increase the distance you throw the dummy into the water.
 * 5) Quit each session while the dog is still anxious to play.  You want him to be in that state of mind until the next time you bring him to the water.

Note

If your dog did not follow you into the water, it's either because he doesn't tend to follow you anywhere, or because he found the water uncomfortable.

If you don't feel that he's afraid of the water, or you don't have the option of wading in, you could begin with a short retrieve.

If your dog doesn't tend to follow you around, that is a problem and should be addressed. See topics elsewhere such as:

 * Building the Relationship
 * Tug
 * Tethering
 * Heeling

Introducing Gunfire

 * 1) Introduce loud noises such as pans and cookie sheets
 * 2) Play this game at home, then in the yard: Train noise as a recall cue: bang (softly at first), then feed; gradually, add distance and volume
 * 3) Play this game at home, then in the yard: Have "gunner" throw cookie sheet, then throw food on the cookie sheet (simulates running toward the gunner on a marked retrieve)
 * 4) Introduce gunfire at training and/or events.  Key concept: The sequence for dogs new dogs needs to be rest or quiet activity, gunshot, instant opportunity for highly enjoyable stimulus such as treat, tug, chasing the trainer, or a thrown toy.  Do not have the gunfire occur while the high-value stimulus is in progress, or reverse conditioning may occur.

(Note: I posted a more complete description to PGD list in December 2007. That might be worth copying here.)

Heeling
Heeling can be trained as the foundation for competitive obedience, rally, and musical freestyle, and possibly other canine sports as well, and a dog skilled in heeling can perform the behavior for dozens or hundreds of paces.

For the competitive field dog, heeling plays a much more limited role, coming to and leaving the starting line. As a result, it can be trained as a simple, short-distance chain of behaviors: sit, heel a few steps, then sit again.

Prerequisites

 * Sit
 * Hand target

Training the Behavior
Here are the steps to train a simple, enthusiastic heel suitable for coming to and leaving the starting line:

 * 1) Start by working in a quiet location in the house, with minimal distractions.
 * 2) With dog at either side, cue sit (C/T).
 * 3) Lower the hand on the dog's side so that your palm is facing the dog, step forward and cue "touch", and when the dog touches your hand, cue "sit", then C/T with dog in sit position.
 * 4) Repeat until dog is performing the single step behavior smoothly and confidently.
 * 5) Repeat several more times and fade the "sit" cue.
 * 6) Repeat several more times, replacing "touch" with the cue you wish to use for heeling.  If necessary the first few times, say the new cue word and then prompt with touch.  Many trainers use "heel" as the cue for heeling, but because it sounds almost identical to "here", some use an alternative cue such as "with me".
 * 7) You may wish to continue using the hand target with your heeling cue.  If you prefer to put you hand in a different position when coming to and leaving the line, such as swinging at your side or resting on your belly, repeat several more times with your hand in the position you would like to use.  If necessary the first few times, start with your hand in the new position, then prompt with a hand target.
 * 8) When all of that is in place for a single step, train it for two steps, then three steps, and so forth.

Although dogs traditionally heeled on the left side, that is, opposite the side that the hunter carried his rifle, and although competitive obedience still requires heeling only on the left, it is advantageous for a competitive field dog to be able to heel on either side.

Extending the Behavior

 * If the dog's heeling is not consistently performed with enthusiasm, introduce that as a criterion for clicking. For example, you might C/T the most enthusiastic 70% of your reps, and not C/T the least enthusiastic 30%.  Continue to raise the bar until all reps are at a high level of enthusiasm.
 * When the behavior is solid in a quiet location with minimal distractions, train it again in a new location with somewhat increased level of distractions. Continue to generalize for location and proof for distractions until the dog can sit/heel/sit even under competitive conditions.


text:
User:Lindsay Ridgeway/Reward-based Field Training for Retrievers/Problem Solving

Barking
As discussed under "Biting and Barking During Training" in the chapter "Principles", reinforcing a behavior while the dog is barking may reinforce the barking as well, so it's important not to do that.

Barking can also occur in other situations. Some of the problems, and suggested solutions, follow.

Barking in Crate
For dogs who bark in their crates, it's sometimes helpful to immediately cover the crate as soon as the dog begins to bark.

Once some trainers find that the dog won't bark with the cover in place, they begin to cover the crate as soon as they put the dog in.

Others prefer to wait until the moment the dog actually begins to bark. The advantage is that you can learn whether the dog actually prefers to have the crate covered:

 * If over time the dog stops barking while the crate is uncovered, that indicates that he doesn't like having the crate covered and learned to stop the behavior that was causing it to happen.

 * If over time the dog continues to bark when the crate is uncovered until you cover it, that indicates he found the having the crate covered pleasant and learned that barking was a way to get the cover in place.

Barking During Activities
Here's a method Lindsay Ridgeway used with Lumi and Laddie, his two Goldens, when each was a puppy and occasionally barked at other dogs in pet stores or to demand something in the kitchen. Douglas St. Clair, noting that this technique is too mild to be called a "time out", dubbed it a "time in":

 * 1) React every single time the dog barks.
 * 2) React at the very instant that the dog barks.
 * 3) If necessary, gently snap on the dog's lead.  You can use a target hand or a verbal cue to bring him and keep him with you if that works.
 * 4) Walk some distance away to the most boring available location.  Use a neutral or even cheerful demeanor.  All that is happening is that the dog has made the choice of barking, and he is learning that his behavior predicts a particular consequence.  That consequence is being taken out of the fun location.  Harshness adds nothing useful to the lesson, and has the potential for diminising your relationship.
 * 5) Cue or gently press your dog into a sit.  The reason why you might press your dog, rather than cue the sit, is that you're not training "sit" now. If he won't respond reflexively to a verbal or visual cue, you're distracting him from the learning the lesson at hand.
 * 6) Wait 10-30 seconds with him.  You can stand or kneel beside him, you can pet him if you like.  It is unnecessary to be unpleasant, but of course it should not be so much fun that the dog would rather do this than whatever he was doing before.
 * 7) After the boring wait, run back together to what you were doing.

Barking in Vehicle
Some dogs bark in the vehicle when waiting their turn for training with a group. They can use a lot of energy doing that, affecting their performance. In addition, it may annoy the other dogs and trainers, perhaps even affecting their performance.

It's possible that if you move the vehicle further from the activities, the dog will stop barking and rest, awaiting his turn. Over time, learning to rest between turns may become a habit and you won't need to continue moving the vehicle as often.

More about Barking
Perhaps it would be best to see if the following post has any useful information in it, and extract that information into a compact form for addition to the material above.

Here's a DogTrek post from Lindsay Ridgeway, responding to a question from a woman named Christina about her Golden puppy barking in his crate:

On Aug 27, 2007, at 9:01 AM, Lindsay Ridgeway wrote:

On Aug 27, 2007, at 12:14 AM, Christina wrote:

> He realized yesterday that he has a voice adn barks A LOT when he is > in his pen. I know that sometimes he is barking because he has to pee, > but often it's because he wants to be out with the rest of us. How > long should he be quiet before I let him out? I know with my other > dog, barking is a self-rewarding behavior... is ignoring him enough? > what about when I know he has to pee? Is it ok if he barks when he has > to pee? > > He is 13.5 weeks and very, very smart!

Hi, Christina. Congratulations on your Golden puppy. He sounds like a great dog.

I'm not an expert, but we have three Goldens in the house (among other creatures), including Laddie, my 4 month old. Laddie is the only one who spends any appreciable time in the crate, so I'll tell you about Laddie and crates:

in the car (unlike the other dogs, Laddie only travels in the crate), and one in the bedroom.
 * We have three crates: one in my office (I often work at home), one

immediately before he goes into the crate and as soon as he comes out, and except when he used to sleep in the crate, he was rarely in for more than 2-3 hours at time, usually less. I've read that a two- month old can go three hours, a three-month old can go four hours, and so forth. I found with Laddie that after about the age of 9 weeks, he could go longer than that over night (six hours or more), but as I mentioned, I can't remember him ever having to go more than about three hours during the day. At about 3-1/2 months, I became confident enough in his ability to hold it that I let him take a nap with me in bed a couple of times, and when that went OK, my wife and I let Laddie start sleeping with us and the other two Goldens. He'll probably do that from now on, so he's not in his bedroom crate much any more, and doesn't bark when he is.
 * Peeing has rarely been an issue. I always let Laddie out to pee

above, you might want to check with your vet about a possible medical issue. Laddie will pee pretty much every time he gets on the grass, but he doesn't have to go any more often than those guidelines.
 * If your pup needs to pee more than the guidelines I mentioned

same room with him, but activities are in progress in an adjoining room. About two weeks ago, I began the practice of putting a blanket over three sides of his crate immediately at the very first bark. I believe that "immediately" and "very first" were both important. Two things happened. First, he'd stop barking within a minute or two. Second, after a few days of that happening, he stopped barking altogether at most of the times when he would have before, making it unnecessary to cover his crate for several days in row now. I read that experience to mean that the blanket took away whatever stimuli were triggering the barking, enabling him to relax, and also that Laddie gradually concluded that he'd rather have those stimuli than not have them.
 * For the office crate, Laddie generally barks when no one is in the

covered his crate as soon as I put him in for situations where I expected barking. But then he wouldn't have learned how to stop me from putting on the blanket, and I wouldn't have learned whether he prefers the blanket on or off.
 * I think the bark-suppression would have worked just as well if I'd

(my big dog) and me training nearby while he awaits his turn. If I have the time, I move the vehicle further from where we're training, and Laddie quiets after a minute or two. I want him to learn to relax when it's not his turn, so that's my preferred approach, though sometimes I just have to let him keep barking. My hope is that in time, by my moving the van so that he can relax, he'll gradually develop the habit of relaxing between turns and I won't have to continue moving the vehicle.
 * For the vehicle crate, Laddie generally barks if he can see Lumi

I'd also like to mention some lifestyle issues that may or may not be relevant to the barking:

together, we train at least twice a day, usually more often. When we train, it's always highly active, generally outside, and involves a good bit of running and/or swimming. My intent is that Laddie have a distinct on/off switch, with the ability to play at full speed for short bursts, and then to thoroughly relax during the rest of his life. I've tried to create a schedule for him that promotes that rhythm.
 * Laddie gets a lot of time with me. Besides just spending time

bodywork session. This is when I trim his nails if needed, clean his ears, go over every inch of his body massaging him and checking for ticks, give him his stretches, brush his coat, and brush his teeth. Of course, when I started this when he was seven weeks old, he was unable to relax during those activities. But he quieted gradually day after day, and now is almost as quiet as Lumi during those sessions. I can't prove that this carries over to a more general ability to relax, but maybe it does.
 * Also on the idea of an on/off switch, Laddie and I have a daily

daily afternoon snack of a frozen chicken wing, the occasional treat- filled Kong, and me often walking over to the crate to give him a small piece of chicken jerky, half a cashew, or some other treat through the bars.
 * Laddie often gets food in his crate with him. This includes his

I've often read the rule that you should not pay any attention to the dog when he barks -- no talking (gentle or harsh), no letting him out, not even looking at him. Before I discovered the blanket trick, I followed that rule and asked everyone in the house to also honor it. I don't know if it made a difference, but it's possible it did. For example, maybe the blanket trick wouldn't have worked a month ago, but if we'd reacted to Laddie when he barked at that time, the blanket trick also wouldn't work now. I just don't know about that.

Good luck with the barking and everything else about your new pup. I hope you'll keep us up to date with your life together.

Dropping the Article
Your dog will need to be able to go into a sit while holding an article. This can be surprisingly difficult for a dog, who may have a strong inclination to drop the article before sitting.

In addition, your dog will need an instant release, not when you grasp the article, but when you cue "out". The reason for not releasing when you grasp the article is that the dog can't judge whether you have a good grip and may drop the article on the ground, thinking you're ready for him to release it.

Shaping "Take It"

 * Start by using your finger as the "article".
 * In the first session, click and treat for the motion of grabbing your finger.
 * Be sure to click the bite, not the release.
 * When you can anticipate the moment of the bite, you can add a verbal cue such as "take it". You won't need this cue in the field, but it will help with training the hold.

Taking an Article
Once the dog can hold and out with your finger, train the entire behavior again from the beginning with a dummy.

Training the Hold
Here's a DogTrek post from Jody Baker describing how to train the whole process:

On Oct 13, 2007, at 2:01 PM, Jody Baker wrote:

It's sometimes hard on us people, when we start out wanting nothing more then to play at something, only to change our minds and suddenly want the dogs to stop all the stuff they've previously done and now do something not nearly as much fun for them.

Several very experienced people now recommend NOT using the clicker for duration with the retrieve. They use it just a bit at the beginning and then not at all after that. Other very experienced people use it the entire time. I'm one who doesn't use it for this particular behavior, I do not want the dog spitting/dropping the object when I click. I prefer to hold it and have the dog back away (move the head back). In other words I don't "take" it away from the dog, instead I put my hands on it and the dog removes his head when I say "give" or "out" or word of your choice. To me this is easier for the dog to understand.

An old retriever way of teaching "hold" is to use your finger. If it's a dog who mouths (which probably won't make any difference for a water dog) you can wear a leather glove. Basically it's putting your finger (I use my forefinger) behind the canine teeth, using the other fingers and thumb to hold the mouth closed, but not tightly. You can use your other hand on the collar to help keep the dog steady (most dogs throw their heads around, fling their bodies etc). You can tell the instance she slightly accepts holding your finger and release. The release is the reinforcement for her "hold" no matter how short that hold is at first.

You can shape her taking your finger if you want. I don't do that, too impatient, besides my dogs are use to me sticking my finger/hand in their mouth from puppy hood, it may be different for you. So I just open their mouth, put my finger in place and wait to see what happens.

The treat I use for doing this is canned cat food. You have the twin kitties (maybe more) so this shouldn't be a problem. I give the food on a spoon as I want the dogs to be OK with metal.

This takes how ever long it takes, some dogs quickly - just a day or two - other dogs maybe a couple of three weeks..

 * Step 1 is as described
 * Step 2 the dog opens her mouth for you to place your finger
 * Step 3 the dog reaches forward for your finger when it's presented
 * Goal - dog takes and holds finger as long as you want with no mouthing.

Now you're ready to use something else. I would start with a dowel about the diameter of your finger - maybe 6 inches long.

You'll want her accepting, reaching forward and holding various objects in the long run. A dumbbell is very good as it helps the dog understand how to pick up something, hold it in the center for balance. After that it will be easy to introduce the other things - ropes, etc that will be needed.

Anticipatory Response
As you and the dog work together, he will soon learn that every time he sits down with the article, the next thing that happens is that you grasp the article and take it. He will begin to anticipate that chain of events, and may begin to release the article prematurely, allowing it to drop to the ground.

To prevent his anticipating the "out" cue, you can train him a set of special rules using a dummy. The rule is that when you take the rope, or slide your hand from the dummy to the rope, it means that you are about to initiate a game of tug by trying to pull the dummy away from him, and he is allowed go into a game of tug with you. In this game, you will growl, and pull, and try but fail to take the dummy away from him. Besides enhancing your relationship with a cooperative game, tug is great fun for the dog, so he has a strong incentive to hold on tight, because if he doesn't, he'll "lose" the game.

Make both this game and the "out" cue highly reinforcing, so that the dog is equally happy whichever one occurs, and is waiting to be surprised by whatever is coming next.

Not Returning with the Article
To be edited

On Aug 13, 2007, at 9:17 PM, kcip@comcast.net wrote:

> My 7-month-old Lab is very enthusiastic about running out to get the bumper/duck, but not so good about bringing it all the way back to me at the line. > Any tips for nipping this in the bud?

Hi, Kathy. Good question. Since no one else has replied yet, here are my thoughts.

First, the enthusiasm you mentioned is great, and IMO the most important thing. Whatever you do, you do not want to do anything to diminish your pup's desire.

Second, I've often heard that it's not unusual for dogs to behave as you're describing, and that later, some of those same dogs go on to become accomplished retrievers. Your dog loves not only the game of retrieving, but also the object, and that's a good thing. Someday the retrieves will require him to run straight through cover, to climb up and down steep banks, and to swim long distances, and he'll need a high level of desire to overcome the challenges.

Third, at 7 months, your dog may still be teething. If so, carrying the object may be causing him discomfort. Some trainers stop asking their dogs to retrieve until the adult teeth are in. I'm not clear on the timing of that, so maybe someone else can answer:

 * How do you know when to stop asking for retrieves?
 * How do you know when to start again?

Fourth, many trainers seems to separate out the game your dog is playing, and the Taught Retrieve. I think the idea is that, if the dog has not yet been through the Taught Retrieve training, you wouldn't necessarily expect a reliable return. I think your dog is almost to the age, maybe a month or two short, where you might want to carry out that training.

That said, I'd also like to add some specific thoughts on the return.

As a reward-based trainer who does not plan to use force/coercion/pressure to train your dog, you have several other tools available to you to deal with the issue: management, luring, and reinforcement. I've broken those out separately.

Management
Management means controlling the dog's access to undesirable reinforcers during the period while the dog is learning the desired behavior.

One kind of management for retrievers is to attach a long lead (maybe a 20' nylon rope) to the puppy's collar whenever training. That allows you to catch the dog and reel him in if needed.

Perhaps more important is choosing the right environment to train in. The basic idea is that if you can't get the dog to come to you in the environment you're currently working in, you shouldn't be working in that environment.

A hallway of the house with all the doors closed and minimal distractions leaves the dog little choice but to return. Once he's confidently returning in that context, you can open doors, gradually introduce distractions, and little by little move into more challenging environments.

Luring
Luring means showing the dog something to return to. When you use luring, you're not asking the dog to come to you because he's been trained to, you're asking him to come to you because you're showing him something he wants.

The risk of luring is that the dog may only learn to come to you while that lure is present. But used judiciously, luring can be a useful tool for getting the dog in the habit of coming back to you.

The choice of a lure depends not on you but on your dog. What will he come back to you for? Many dogs will chase you if you run away from them, so that's a great lure. Many dogs are attracted by high pitched voices. Another possibility is waving a toy. I found with my puppy that he'd come running if I dropped down into a play bow position. You can also use food as a lure, though there are arguments against that that I won't get into here.

Reinforcement
In the end, the most important tool for training the return is making it worth the dog's while. That's operant conditioning: the dog learns that something wonderful happens when he makes a particular choice. The next time he's presented with the same options, he'll be more likely to make the same choice again, and again something wonderful happens. After a substantial history of such reinforcement, that choice becomes habit, virtually reflex.

As with a lure, the choice of a great reinforcer is the dog's, not yours. You might WANT the dog to be highly reinforced by petting, for example, and some dogs are. But some aren't. The rule of thumb is, if the behavior increases (or a well-established behavior continues), it was reinforced. If it doesn't, it wasn't.

The reinforcement might come from the behavior itself. That's why your dog has that enthusiastic run-out. He loves doing it, possibly because it simulates the hunt of his ancestors. That's intrinsic reinforcement, and the behavior is sometimes called a self-reinforcing behavior.

Some behaviors are not immediately self-reinforcing, but later become self-reinforcing. A dog may not love swimming at first, for example, but after a few easy-going sessions gradually discovers what fun it is.

For a retriever, the most valuable reinforcement you can offer is typically another opportunity to retrieve. Again, there's that prey instinct.

Another way to tap into prey instinct is with the game of tug. My older dog's enthusiasm for the retrieve soared to a whole new level the day someone suggested I start playing tug with her when she got back with the article. The only thing I'll caution you about this, though, is that some trainers do not believe in playing tug with a retriever. I'm not sure if it's because they think it will develop a hard mouth, or because they think it will break the dog's "out", that is, willingness to give up the article when cued. I haven't found either to be the case with my dog.

Any of the ways I mentioned as luring might also work as reinforcement. The range is endless: besides throwing a dummy and offering a game of tug, other possibilities are praise, petting, a game of chase, rough-housing, and treats (again, note that some trainers do not use food for training retrievers). The key concept is that you don't decide what the dog finds reinforcing, the dog does. If you try to use praise as a reinforcer, for example, and the dog doesn't find praise reinforcing, then you are not going to get good results. Knowing this, you have the incentive to be a keen observer of how your dog responds to particular stimuli in particular environments.

I'd like to highlight the difference between luring and reinforcement:

 * Let's say the dog is on his way back to you. If you start swinging a dummy and calling hey-hey, that might make him come running to you, which makes you happy, but he hasn't learned from that experience to come to you when you're NOT swinging a dummy and calling hey-hey.

 * On the other hand, let's say that somehow the dog comes back to you (perhaps because of management or luring), and then at that very instant you begin swinging the dummy and calling hey-hey and then you throw it for him to chase. Now the dog has learned that something great happened when he got to you.  After a few of those experiences, you won't need to entice him to come to you, because he'll be interested in the consequences of doing so, not the stimulus you used to get him to you.

A few other notes on reinforcement. First, just because a dog likes something doesn't mean it will reinforce behavior. The measure is whether the desired behavior increases. There's a good chance that offering the dog something he likes will increase the behavior he just completed, but it's not guaranteed.

Secondly, reinforcers tend to be context-specific. The dog may find a particular consequence reinforcing for one behavior but not another, reinforcing in one environment but not another, reinforcing on one day but not another.

Thirdly, the amplitude (effectiveness) of a reinforcer varies with Establishing Operations (EOs). Whether the dog is hungry will affect his enthusiasm for food. Whether he's tired will affect his enthusiasm for play. I'd say you want the dog to be fairly hungry and well-rested whenever training.

Sorry if I've gone past your intent when you asked for "tips", but without knowing you, I thought I'd try to cover the main bases.

Best of luck with your puppy. Please keep us up to date with your progress.

For a refresher course to build your dog's reinforcement history for the retrieve, see Practicing Fetch in the chapter "Marked Retrieve".

Possessiveness
From private correspondence from Alice Woodyard to Lindsay Ridgeway on October 29, 2007:

"It sounds like you are being observant of their bird handling but remember that a bunch of repositioning of the bird, especially AFTER it has been picked up once, is a form of prey-possessiveness that is a close cousin to the not returning, eating, etc. It is a way to procrastinate the delivery and savor the prize. It is not "innocent" if you are seeing quite a bit of it. Not in a dog who is experienced with handling live game. Uh uh. The "N" on this one should go down with practice also. Also a big loop behind you to get into heel position, bigger than the dog normally needs to make, that's a form of parading with the prize, a form of "keep away" from you. As is any slight turning the head away right before the delivery or lowering the head to "get a better hold" when at heel and just before delivery. And of course any mouthing. These are all more little signs that the dog's head is not in the game the way you need it to be, not your game anyway."

Slow Returns
To be edited

On Aug 25, 2007, at 8:41 AM, kcip@comcast.net wrote:

> Does anyone have some favorite drills/methods for getting your dog > back to the line? I've had him on a long line, but I'm thinking I > need to backtrack and do some drills separate from the actual > retrieving. He runs/swims out to the mark with lots of energy, but > slows down and stops before returning to me with the bumper/bird.

Hi, Kathy. The question I'd ask is, why SHOULD he rush back to the line?

Lumi had the same issue. So for several sessions, we practiced retrieves with our "start line" next to a creek. If I could, I'd get people to throw for me, otherwise I'd do poor-man's marks (Lumi in a sit, I go out and throw bumper, come back to her and send her). Either way, I reinforced every return with a rousing send-out into the water. Needless to say, after a rep or two, she was racing back for that chance to swim.

Then when we started training with a group, I took a chance on looking like a fool by doing the same thing with the group. Lumi would take her turn at the line, but as soon as she brought the bird back, instead of sending her out for another single or casually meandering back to our vehicle like every one else, I'd take her delivery of the bird just as calm as could be, and then, at the moment I had the bird, I'd spin on my heels and race off with Lumi to the nearest water, which was sometimes as much as 200 yards away.

After I'd done that a couple of sessions, I'd have her retrieve both birds, and THEN we'd go racing to the water.

You know what? A time came when she didn't seem to need those send outs to the water any more. She just seemed to enjoy running both ways. I call that "discovery training". The dog discovers that a behavior is fun, even though she didn't find it to be self- reinforcing at first. After that, the behavior maintains itself.

As for looking like a fool, that didn't bother me too much. No dog has a more enthusiastic return than Lumi, and some of the advanced ones I train with are like molasses.

Cheating
Cheating is the field trainer's name for a dog running around on land instead of swimming straight to the article, or back to the handler, on a water retrieve. Of course, the dog isn't doing anything dishonest, he's just trying to get to the article or handler as fast as possible, and he can run faster than he can swim. Other factors may also trigger cheating, and the term is also broader than water retrieves, and includes for example running around high cover on a land retrieve.

For some of the less advanced retriever titles, such as Working Certificate (WC) and Junior Hunter (JH), cheating doesn't disqualify the dog. But at the more advanced levels, the dog is trained to take a straight line. That training is called de-cheating.

A number of training methods exist for de-cheating on water retrieves:
 * One reward-based training method for de-cheating is called the swim-by method.
 * Another reward-based training method for de-cheating is called pole de-cheating.
 * Most field trainers also rely on e-collars for de-cheating these days. Use of an e-collar does not fall within the scope of this book (see  Preface).

Swim By
The swim-by method require a technical pond with some fairly specific traits not necessarily available to all field trainers.

(details to be added)

Pole De-cheating
Here's a description of the pole de-cheating method, invented by Lindsay Ridgeway in July 2007 for de-cheating Lumi, his 3-1/2 year old female Golden:

The Game

 * 1) A prerequisite is that the dog has some experience with "over", a hand signal that sends the dog left or right. It's not necessary that the dog's response be perfectly reliable. In fact, if it were, you'd have no problem with cheating, you'd just cue "over" to keep the dog in the water.
 * 2) The set up is a straight or preferably convex shoreline, open water, and a pole of some kind in the water.  For example, you could use a length of PVC pipe and wade out about 10 feet to push the pole into the floor of the pond.
 * 3) Stand at the neutral point on the shoreline, closest to the pole.  Bring the dog to heel, and throw the dummy to the opposite side of the pole, then send the dog.
 * 4) When the dog turns back with the dummy, you are already the shortest swim back, so the dog has no way of cheating and will come straight back. But use an "over" cue to send the dog around one side of the pole or the other.
 * 5) Practice that a few times to be certain that the dog is reliably responding to "over" and swimming on the side of the pole you cue.
 * 6) Now move a few yards to the left or right for the next retrieve, and again throw the dummy over the pole. When the dog is swimming back, the shore may act as slight suction, but cue "over" to send her to the far side of the pole, thus keeping her away from the shore. If that doesn't work, you may have stepped too far down the shoreline, or you may need to work more on "over" around the pole by going back to practing at the neutral point.
 * 7) Since it's preferable that the dog not require handling, that is, not require you to cue "over", use extrinsic reinforcement (praise, tug, a hey-hey-dummy, food) to reward the dog when she takes the far side of the pole without having to be cued.
 * 8) When the dog consistently takes the far side of the pole, you can move a few yards further to reduce the angle between the shoreline, and the dog's swim path, even more.

Extending the Behavior
The pole de-cheating method can be gradually extended to an advanced version of the behavior:

 * Gradually move the starting line further down the shoreline from the pole, reducing the angle until the dog is swimming parallel to the shore.
 * Increase the distance the dog swims to get to the dummy. You can do this by leaving the dog in a sit while you go to place the dummy, or by taking the dog with you and then walking back to the starting line, or by having someone else place the dummy for you.
 * Place the dummy on land so that the dog swims in a straight line, climbs onto shore to retrieve the dummy, then re-enters the water to swim back.
 * Place the dummy on water on the other side of land, so that the dog swims to the far shore, crosses the strip of land, re-enters the water to retrieve the dummy, and then returns the same way in a straight line.
 * Switch to a smaller and smaller pole so that the dog becomes less and less dependent on that visual cue.


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User:Lindsay Ridgeway/Reward-based Field Training for Retrievers/Foundation Behaviors

Foundation Behaviors
This chapter discusses concepts appropriate to any trained dog and not specific to field work, but necessary for the field dog.

Tug

 * The relationship-building reinforcer
 * The choice of a tug toy is important. The dog may find playing tug with one toy significantly more enjoyable than another, and therefore, using that toy may have a significantly more reinforcing effect on other behaviors than playing tug with another toy might.

Practicing with Muliple Tug Toys
An interesting version of tug is to use two or more toys:

 * 1) Offer one of the toys, and when the dog grabs the toy, play enthusiastically with him for a few moments.
 * 2) Then drop the toy, letting the dog continue to play with the toy himself.
 * 3) Now offer the other toy, perhaps squeaking it, folding it in half and flapping it like jaws, or in some other way enticing the dog with it.
 * 4) When the dog grabs your new toy, resume enthusiastic tug with this new toy, while using your other hand to slip the other toy away from the dog.
 * 5) Continue to alternate between the toys, allowing the dog to learn over and over again that it's you, not the toy, that makes the game so much fun.

Recall

 * The single most important behavior for any dog
 * Use of a long line to avoid rehearsing self-reinforcing behavior
 * Puppy ping-pong
 * Calling from restraint to build motivation
 * Using tug to reinforce (versus a thrown toy -- exciting but not as good for building a relationship; versus food -- possibly calming rather than exciting)
 * Choice of the tug toy is important (see Tug)

The Dreaded Keep-Away Game
As discussed in  How to Use This Book, the first few chapters of this manual describe training that is to occur in parallel, not in sequence one chapter after another.

While "give it" is the basis for retrieving, and also for the refinement of retrieving to hand, it also plays a role in your relationship to the dog so important that it cannot be overstated.

"Give it" is the keystone for solving what is for some dogs the most dreaded enemy of reliable recall, the keep-away game. This information needed in the section on "give it" also.

TO DO: Discuss the no-glance rule.

TO DO: Explain RETRIEVER ZEN: To train the dog to come back with the bird, train the dog to come back without the bird.

Attention
Attention means that the dog's attention is on you, whether he's in your arms or 500 yards away.

Although it's possible for the dog to look at something else, such as an agility object or a retrieval article, while remaining attentive to the trainer, the term attention is usually meant to include eye contact. It's a key behavior for any performance dog, and valuable for any dog:

 * Enables dog to see visual cues
 * Dog is engaged in the activity with you and ignoring any distractions
 * Ability to gain and hold the dog's attention is as much about you as a trainer as about the dog's skills
 * Attention is a key building block of the overall relationship

Attention as Default Behavior
Default means that the dog offers the behavior spontaneously, without any cue from the handler.

Attention to you is an good default behavior for many situations, such as you entering the room, the approach of a strange dog or person, confusion about what behavior you are asking for.

Training the Behavior

 * In a small room such as a powder room, place a bowl of treats out of sight, then sit on the floor or a chair with a clicker.

 * Each time the dog looks at you, click and treat. Don't reach for the treat until you've gotten the response you want.  Otherwise, reaching for the treat will be the stimulus that triggers the behavior, and you want the behavior to occur without any stimulus from you other than your presence.

 * If the dog doesn't look at you at first, click and treat for a glance in your general direction. Once that is occuring reliably, after 3-5 times, limit your clicks to the longer, more accurate glances, and strengthen that version of the behavior for several clicks.  Then again raise the criteria.

 * All organisms are drawn to salient targets, so you can also get the behavior going by moving your face around, smiling and talking to the dog. Again, fade those stimuli as quickly as possible so the dog is seeking eye contact without any action on your part.

 * Assuming the dog likes the treats you're using, you may find you can do this for many reps without the dog losing interest. For example, you can hand feed the dog's entire meal with this exercise.  If the dog does begin to lose interest, do something exciting with the dog and then end the session.

 * Repeat this training in a non-distracting environment until the dog understands the game entirely. Then begin to generalize for location and distractions by moving to somewhere else in the house, and then in front or back of your home, and finally in strange locations.  Over a period of a few weeks, you'll be able to play the game in any environment, and your dog will have developed a strong habit of giving his attention to you.

Attention Cued as "Watch"
Once your dog has developed attention as a default behavior, you can also put eye-contact on verbal cue by saying "watch" just before the dog looks at you several times.

Soon, you'll find that you can say "watch" and the dog will look at you for his click and treat even if he was not just about to.

Don't test this in highly distracting situations, such as dog play or when the dog is sniffing, until you are completely confident that the dog will respond correctly. You don't want the dog rehearsing ignoring you. Are you willing to bet $100 that he'll look at you when you say "watch"?

Attention Cued as Dog's Name
Many performance dogs are also trained to respond to their name as cue for "watch". That may or may not be appropriate for retrievers, since their name is also used as a send-out for marks.

If you are going to use the dog's name for both "watch" and/or recall, and also as a send-out on marks, and you plan to train the "watch"/recall version to a reflexive response that you want the dog responding to without thinking, it might be useful to be aware of that reflex when you use the identical cue as a send-out.

On the other hand, you may find that using the dog's name on a send-out isn't a cue at all, but rather a release, allowing the dog to perform his favorite activity, retrieving. Thus using his name that way may serve to strengthen it an attention and recall cue.

Atttention Chained to Other Behaviors
Some trainers include eye-contact as a behavior chained onto other behaviors. For example, "leave it" might be shaped so that in the final version of the behavior, the dog not only moves his mouth away from the object, but then looks at you. And "sit" might be shaped so that in the final version of the behavior, eye-contact is required in order to earn reinforcement. Note to Lindsay: Update "leave it" and "sit" with this information.

Tethering

 * Wearing the dog
 * NILIF
 * Helps recall
 * Helps heeling
 * Even helps learning to swim

Leave It

 * Trained cheerfully (doggie zen)

Training the Behavior

 * 1) Take the dog to the place outside where you want him to eliminate whenever it is likely to happen.  This varies from dog to dog, but a good rule of thumb is between any two states of activity:
 * — Time in the crate
 * — Sleeping
 * — Playing
 * — Eating
 * 1) Whenever the dog eliminates in the desired location, reinforce well.  For example, you might congratulate the dog enthusiastically on his brilliance and give him a high-value treat.

Accidents

 * Do not punish.
 * If you are not present when the accident occurs, do not interact with the dog at all with respect to the accident. Simply clean it up.
 * If you are present while the accident is in progress, instantly but gently carry the dog outside to the place where you want him to finish.

Crate Training

 * Clicker-training is one possibility, but doing it the first night you have a new puppy may be unrealistic
 * Many people keep the crate in their bedroom, or even on the same level as their bed, at least the first couple of nights
 * Try covering the crate when the dog cries
 * -- She may not cry the next time, because she may not like having the crate covered and may wish to avoid that happening again
 * -- Or she may cry again, because she may not mind having the crate covered, or may even like it and may cry to make it happen
 * -- Either way, she may not cry in the covered crate

Settle

 * Cuddling in arms
 * Bodywork
 * Stretches
 * Grooming
 * Nail grinding
 * Tooth brushing
 * Falling asleep in arms on couch

Cuddling
Here, Lindsay Ridgeway describes some of the ways he used cuddling in training his young puppy Laddie, beginning in the summer of 2007:

"At various times such as before bedtime, Laddie, Lumi and I run into the backyard, and I sit or lie down in the grass. I have treats and a tug toy with me. Sometimes the dogs interact with one another, and sometimes Laddie goes off to explore for a little while. But most of the time, he's with me, tumbling around in a circle I make with my arms, playing tug, or retrieving the tug toy when I throw it for him. Often he'll roll into me, pushing against me with his back or head. It makes me feel that he's seeing me as a protector as well as a playmate.

"When DW Renee and I are watching a video, I often have Laddie sit on my lap, at first playing, eventually collapsing like a rag doll and snoozing in my arms.

"Sitting at the computer, I sometimes take Laddie out of the crate and hold him in my lap while typing. He'll try to help me with the mouse and keyboard for awhile, but I cradle him in my arms and snuggle with him, and we sometimes give each other kisses. After a few minutes, he's a rag doll again.

"When we play at the lake, I've found that Lumi wants to be sent right back into the water as soon as possible after every retrieve, while Laddie usually likes to spend some time on dry land before having another dummy thrown for him. So when he brings his dummy back, I often take it from him and then run over to the grass and lie down, and soon he's there with me, tumbling around against me, soaking wet. We wait for Lumi to come back from her much longer throw. Then I'm back on my feet, walking toward the water and swinging one of the dummies, and Laddie's there beside me, looking out at the waves to see where his dummy's going to land so that he can swim out to it. I might put Lumi into a sit and throw Laddie's dummy first to work on Lumi's steadiness, or I might send Lumi out first. Either way, the cuddling break seems to increase Laddie's motivation for his own retrieves, whereas if I just throw the dummy again as soon as he gets back, he might watch it go out but not go after it."


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User:Lindsay Ridgeway/Reward-based Field Training for Retrievers/Preface

Preface
The title of this book, Reward-based Field Training for Retrievers, reflects the scope and limitations of the topic discussed:

 * Reward-based means that only training methods based upon rewards are covered, and that training methods based upon aversives are not covered. In terms of behavioral science, this means that the following methods are used in this book:

 * Positive reinforcement (+R). Desired behavior leads to a reward (a pleasant stimulus), with the observed result that the behavior maintains or increases in probability.
 * Extinction. Undesired behavior does not lead to a reward, with the observed result of the behavior decreasing, though perhaps not until after an extinction burst.
 * Negative punishment (-P). Undesired behavior leads to the removal of a reward, or more commonly, the removal of an opportunity for performing a behavior with a history of being rewarded, with the observed result that the undesired behavior declines in probability.

 * Again in terms of behavioral science, the following methods are not used in this book:

 * Positive punishment (+P). Undesired behavior leads to an aversive (an unpleasant stimulus), with the observeed result that the behavior declines in probability.
 * Negative reinforcement (-R). Desired behavior leads to the escape or avoidance of an aversive, with the observed result that the behavior maintains or increases in probability.

 * Field Training means that only training methods associated with training dogs for the sports of Field Trials, Hunt Tests, and hunting are covered. Obviously this would include, for example, training the dog to retrieve, but it also includes all behaviors associated with training field dogs, such as crate training and building motivation.  On the other hand, it does not include training behaviors that are not used for field sports, such as agility weaving.

 * for Retrievers means that only training for retrievers is covered. Field training for other canine breeds, such as pointers, flushers and versatile hunters, is not covered.


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User:Lindsay Ridgeway/Reward-based Field Training for Retrievers/Disclaimer

Disclaimer
This book was begun by me, Lindsay Ridgeway, in July 2007. At that time, though I had been studying and practicing dog training for over three years, I had never trained a dog to any title, in field sports or any other canine sport.

Typically, one would want to read material like the subject of this book written by an expert with proven credentials.

Unfortunately, that was not available at the time this book was started. As of July 2007, there has never been a field champion retriever trained exclusively by reward-based methods, and perhaps there never will be. Many field trainers believe that it can't be done, and few are willing to make the investment to find out.

On the other hand, I did not want to wait until I've shown it could be done before beginning work on documenting my methods. By the time I have trained a successful field trial dog (if that ever happens), I might no longer have the time, inclination, and memory to explain what I've done.

Therefore, this book was started as a repository for my training notes. In the future, it might be a treatise in how not to train a successful field competitor, or, if I'm fortunate enough to succeed, it might be a record of how the job was done.

At the same time, by presenting this work as a Wikibook, I invite collaboration from others, and some contributors may bring far more knowledge and credentials to the material than I am able to. To the extent that this work becomes supplemented, edited, and vetted by more experienced trainers, this Disclaimer may eventually become merely an introductory note on the genesis of this book.


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User:Lindsay Ridgeway/Reward-based Field Training for Retrievers/Bibliography

Email Lists
DogTrek

PositiveGunDogs

Clicker_Gundog

ClickerSolutions

Click-L_ABAT

Books
Ruff Love, by Susan Garrett

Shaping Success, by Susan Garrett

Videos
Sound Beginnings: Retriever Training with Jackie Mertens, Younglove Broadcast Services, http://www.ybsmedia.com


text:
Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Re1/6...b5/7. Bb3

=Ruy Lopez Main Line=

Black is no longer under any direct threat and may continue developing - the king and c8-bishop still need to find better squares. Of the three natural moves,
 * 7...Bb7 is considered a sideline as it gives up the option of ...Bg4 (an option White usually spends a tempo cutting out by playing h3). If Black's going to put this bishop on b7 early on, she normally wants to have the other bishop on c5.

The main moves both carry threats of different types.
 * 7...d6 defends the e5-pawn a second time, freeing the c6-knight to come to a5 and swap off White's precious bishop, so it "forces" the move 8.c3 in response - a move White wants to play anyway.
 * 7...O-O allows Black to follow up with the Marshall Gambit: 8...d5. Of course, Black still has the option of 8...d6, and since in modern times 7...d6 is almost always followed by 8...O-O anyway, at first glance it seems that 7...O-O is a clear winner over 7...d6 in terms of giving Black options. That can't be entirely true, or no-one would play 7...d6. Firstly, the Marshall Gambit has been analysed to death, and if there's a way of proving it absolutely sound it hasn't been discovered yet. Secondly, White has a choice of ways of dodging it - 8.h3 steering the game back towards the main line, or 8.a4 eliminating the need to play c3.

Historically, 7...d6 was played with the intention of following up with 8...Na5 even if White did play 8.c3, but this has not been a popular line since the 1930s.


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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Re1/6...b5/7. Bb3/7...d6

=Ruy Lopez Main Line=

Whenever White opens with 1. e4, her most reliable plan is then to prepare to play d4. There is a very good reason not to play 8. d4? instantly - click and learn.

Instead, it must be prepared with 8. c3. With White's kingside fully developed there is no reason to delay this useful move any longer.

Note that h3 will be a useful move, but not yet - because it turns out that 8. c3 is also necessary to give the b3-bishop a retreat square. A White player who forgets her move order and plays 8. h3 is liable to have her bishop confiscated with 8...Na5.


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User talk:81.157.17.172

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title: User talk:81.157.17.172


text: Template:User inkscape

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text:
User:Zeruski

A long time user & contributor to wikipedia. Decided to expand and help out with wikibooks.

title: User:Zeruski


text:
Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Re1/6...b5/7. Bb3/7...d6/8. d4

=Ruy Lopez Main Line=

8. d4?!
White counts the number of pieces attacking d4, and the number of pieces defending it, and reckons that 8. d4 is a safe move.

8. d4? Nxd4! 9. Nxd4 exd4 10. Qxd4
Alas, Black plays 10...c5! and wherever her beautifully centralised queen moves, Black follows up with 11...c4 and the b3-bishop is trapped. (third diagram)

The moral of the story: White must prepare d4 with 8. c3.


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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Re1/6...b5/7. Bb3/7...d6/8. c3

=Ruy Lopez Main Line=

With White preparing to strike in the centre with d4, Black's king typically vacates the premises with 8...O-O. The old-fashioned move is 8...Na5, which may transpose, but the loss of control over d4 may allow White to save a tempo by omitting h3.

8...Bg4 is seen from time to time, discouraging an instant d4 by White. White will probably play d3 as a temporary measure, aiming to bring the queens knight to the kingside to evict the bishop in order to achieve d4.


text:
Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Re1/6...b5/7. Bb3/7...d6/8. c3/8...O-O

=Ruy Lopez Main Line=

White's most consistent move is 9. d4 freeing the queenside minor pieces and contesting the centre, however, it walks into 9...Bg4 after which the conventional wisdom is that Black has nothing to worry about. For this reason the d4 push is almost always prepared with 9. h3. A few masters have recently attempted to prove that 9. d4 is possible.

White may be fed up with all these preparatory moves and play 9. d3 allowing the safe development of the queenside, but this gives Black complete freedom, claims less space than d4 and limits the scope of the light-squared bishop. The successful chess player must have patience!


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User talk:Thefrettinghand

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If all that seems too much to wade through, you're welcome to ask any question at all on the New Users Page of the Staff Lounge. Just hit the "+" sign on the top of that page, and enter your question! – Mike.lifeguard  | talk 16:50, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

PNG display problems
hi, i would like to ask you something about the file you have problems with. wich program did you use it to create it? and do you really need the background to be transparent?-84.142.216.99 18:47, 16 July 2007 (UTC)oh yeah i am LadyofHats from commons
 * it seems your problem is solved. next time please try to make so simple images better in avector program. is more stable and the file size is much smaller.-84.142.226.237 16:51, 17 July 2007 (UTC) (ladyofHats)

Fractal Book
Hi! I'm very intrested in fractals, and would like to contribute to the fractal book. Paxinum 20:46, 6 October 2007 (UTC)

group
Hi. Now wikibook about fractals has a page about group theory. Your help is welcome. (:-) --Adam majewski (discuss • contribs) 19:21, 16 August 2012 (UTC)

title: User talk:Thefrettinghand