Premier MannersMinder Instruction Manual
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Premier MannersMinder Instruction Manual

Premier MannersMinder Instruction Manual

Remote reward training system
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  • Page 1 Instruction Guide...
  • Page 2 While humans have been training animals for centuries, we have been lax in collecting data and then methodically testing and revising our techniques using the scientific method. The MannersMinder Remote Reward Training System is one of the first train- ™...
  • Page 3 Quick Start If you just can’t wait to get started, here’s a quick set of steps that will let you and your pooch get familiar with the MannersMinder ™ [Formerly marketed by Sharper Image Design ® sold under the name Treat & Train] As soon as you can, watch the DVD.
  • Page 4 Quick Start 4. Now put the MannersMinder on the floor and introduce your dog to it by placing a few pieces of kibble in the Treat Bowl. When your dog has finished, add a few more pieces. 5. Repeat Step 4 several times and when Fido is looking at the bowl, add more food to the bowl by pressing DISPENSE.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Chapter 10: Come When Called in the House ..............42 Chapter 11: Game 4 – Place ...................44 Chapter 12: Game 5 – Down-Stay with Distractions ............47 Chapter 13: Visitors at the Door ..................54 Chapter 14: Fading Out the MannersMinder (Optional) ...........57...

  • Page 6: Chapter 1: Overview

    Chapter 1: Overview How it Works We will teach Fido to run to and lie down quietly at a specific While many training plans involve punishing bad location near the door. behavior, this one focuses on rewarding alternate good behaviors. In the case of dogs that are unruly or annoying when visitors come to the door, we will focus on training Fido to run to and lie down quietly at a specific location near the door.
  • Page 7 MannersMinder and the rug out We want Fido to think of the rug and machine as a during training sessions.

  • Page 8: Chapter 2: How Fido Learns

    Chapter 2: How Fido Learns Reward the Correct Behavior Dogs repeat behaviors that are Contrary to popular opinion, dogs aren’t born rewarded or reinforced. knowing English, Chinese or even French. They Formula for changing dog behavior: have to be taught. Furthermore, while dogs are 1.
  • Page 9 These tactics are not likely to impress even the most finicky Fido. Dogs are more motivated by the actions involved with obtaining their food. By feeding regularly from the MannersMinder, you’ll turn meal times into a fun, interactive game. Keeping Fido Healthy and Trim Because you’ll be training Fido using quite a bit of food, we recommend you use a nutri-...
  • Page 10 Chapter 2: How Fido Learns Getting Fido onto Meal Feedings Use a nutritionally balanced dry dog If your dog’s already on meal feedings and eats food — one that’s AAFCO approved for your dog’s life stage. his food exuberantly, right away you’re all set to start training.
  • Page 11 Chapter 2: How Fido Learns bored or gets distracted, remove the For Fidos that do eat their MannersMinder machine and stop the game until kibble immediately but not with much you feel like playing again later in the day. If he gusto, cut the total meal down to 3/4 loses interest, even for a short instance, he’s...
  • Page 12 Chapter 2: How Fido Learns Body Condition Dogs that are lean, athletic To tell if your Fido’s fat or whether he’s closer to and trim live two years longer and develop diseases such as that of the ideal athlete, look at his waist and feel arthritis two years later than their his backbone, hips, ribs and skin.

  • Page 13: Chapter 3: Setup Instructions And Overview

    Press and hold DISPENSE button to deliver continuous treats — “Jackpot.” (A 12V 23A battery is included.) NOTE: Additional, or replacement, remotes can be purchased from Premier Pet Products for $25 USD/ea. You can reach the Customer Service Department at Premier by calling 888.640.8840.
  • Page 14 • Attach the correct Kibble Disc for you dog’s treat size. • Since your dog will be earning his meals out of the MannersMinder, fill the machine with approximately one meal’s worth of food. Remove the MannersMinder when not in use...
  • Page 15 Chapter 3: Setup Instructions & Overview Overview of the Control Panel Power Switch: Set to ON for all MannersMinder operations. Indicator light turns green. Channel Switch: Used to select a specific frequency. The CHANNEL – 1, 2, 3, or 4 – chosen for both the base unit and remote must match for the system to operate properly.
  • Page 16 Chapter 3: Setup Instructions & Overview Warning Lights: • Sleep mode – If using batteries, after 30 minutes of non-use, the MannersMinder goes into Sleep mode as indicated by a slow blinking green power light. To wake up MannersMinder, press any button on the remote.

  • Page 17: Chapter 4: Game 1 - Treat & Tone

    Many dogs look at their owners or away from the MannersMinder but orient to the sound of the MannersMinder and then see the treat com- ing out. If your dog doesn’t orient, either point the treat out or make sure he’s looking at the MannersMinder when you dispense the treat.
  • Page 18 Stand in several different locations when you practice this step and make sure your dog stays fairly close to the MannersMinder during this step since we’ll wait until the next step to add distance. When your dog consistently looks at you then immediately goes to get his treat upon hearing the tone, and he can do this when you’re standing in at least two different...
  • Page 19 If your dog follows you, TONE & TREAT. If he passed Step 4, he should immediately walk or run to get his treat from the MannersMinder. If he stays near the MannersMinder, lure him away by giving a treat by hand, then TONE & TREAT when he’s standing close to you.
  • Page 20 An easy way to do this is to get him to focus on you instead of the MannersMinder by giving him several treats by hand and then dispensing a treat when he’s focused on you.

  • Page 21: Chapter 5: Game 2 - Targeting

    Fido so that he has to take 1-3 steps butter or something tasty on the target. Then with to reach it. Fido facing the MannersMinder, present the target at nose level several inches away but close enough for him to reach with an outstretched neck. When he reaches out to sniff the target, TONE &...
  • Page 22 Chapter 5: Game 2 – Targeting Step 3: Step 3: Repeat Step 2, standing far enough away so that Repeat Step 2, standing far enough Fido has to take 3-5 steps to reach the target. away so that Fido has to take 3-5 When he can perform this 9 out of 10 times in a steps to reach the target.
  • Page 23 Chapter 5: Game 2 – Targeting Troubleshooting Some Dogs Bite the Target This is ok but if you only want Fido to touch with his nose, then only reward when he touches his nose to the target. Don’t reward instances where he bites the target. Dog Responds Slowly If your dog responds slowly, you either: •...

  • Page 24: Chapter 6: Say Please By Sitting

    Chapter 6: Say Please by Sitting TIP: If your dog is more motivated by food than Dogs say, “Please” by sitting patiently anything else (meaning as soon as he sees food while awaiting the go-ahead from , you can you. Avoid rewarding Fido for jumping, he becomes blind to all potential distractions) probably skip Chapter 6.
  • Page 25 Chapter 6: Say Please by Sitting on him to keep him down, make like an icicle and freeze so that he knows you’re ignoring him. You can even turn your back on him. Be completely quiet and still. This will puzzle your punchy pooch and give his wheels a workout.
  • Page 26 Chapter 6: Say Please by Sitting and staying seated, but give several treats in suc- cession if he tends to get up immediately after you’re done or if he has a long history of jumping on people. This means you should have 5-10 treats ready in your hand.
  • Page 27 Chapter 6: Say Please by Sitting Troubleshooting If after a day or two you don’t see a dramatic change in behavior here’s what might be going wrong: • Your timing is off and you don’t get the treat to your dog quickly enough or while he’s still sitting.

  • Page 28: Chapter 7: Down

    Chapter 7: Down Recommended Daily Practice: Three sessions of 5-10 Downs. The "L" Pattern NOTE: If your dog knows how to lie down on com- mand, skip this chapter. If your dog doesn’t know this yet, don’t fret. It will only take a few short sessions and he only needs to know how to lie down for a second or two before you continue with the polite-at-the-door training.
  • Page 29 Chapter 7: Down Method Two: Make a Tunnel The Tunnel For dogs that really don’t like to lie down, you can try the tunnel variation. Start with both you and Fido sitting on the floor. Raise your knees so that you’ve made a little tunnel and hold the treat under your tunnel but protruding out a little.

  • Page 30: Chapter 8: Game 3 - Down-Stay

    Fido off the rug. The purpose of targeting is to give him prac- tice running to the MannersMinder and rug. Target him about 3 times in between trials and then when you’re ready to start another Down-Stay session,...
  • Page 31 Starting the One-Minute Sessions Take the MannersMinder and a comfortable rug or dog bed out. From here on out, I’ll refer to both as a rug. For now, make sure you use a rug that you only use for this one purpose.
  • Page 32 Chapter 8: Game 3 – Down Stay Now if you hit the DOWN-STAY button on the remote, the Down-Stay light will go on signal- ing that you’ve started a one-minute session and the MannersMinder will emit a cue tone every :03 seconds.
  • Page 33 Chapter 8: Game 3 – Down Stay During this step, he’ll probably look like he wants to At the end of one minute, get up and will move around on his bed. If he gets dispense a few extra up, stop the treats, put him back in a down and treats, then target Fido off.
  • Page 34 So sometimes after a minute, give 2-3 treats from the MannersMinder randomly and sometimes walk up to him and give 2-3 treats from your hand at varying intervals. Sometimes walk up and give a treat as you start to walk away.
  • Page 35 2-3 more afterwards at a variable interval. Also increase your distance from the MannersMinder to 5 feet. When Fido can repeat 5 sessions in a row, go to Step 8. By now your dog should be pretty stable. Also by now, Fido should be starting to go to the “place”...
  • Page 36 Follow this with a treat out of your hand for a few sessions. This will take care of the problem. Checklist Most dogs will focus on the MannersMinder in the ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ early steps of the “down-stay,” but by :30 seconds...
  • Page 37 STAY button to have the machine feed your dog his entire meal automatically. In the Variable mode, the MannersMinder will keep going until it runs out of food. Make sure you’re nearby so that you can call Fido off his rug when he’s finished his meal and so that you can stop the session if he gets up prema- turely on his own.

  • Page 38: Chapter 9: Rewarding Calm Behavior

    Chapter 9: Rewarding Calm Behavior Recommended Daily Practice: Step 1: Suddenly Settle Two 10-minute sessions. Practice several times each day. If even after working on Say Please by Sitting (Chapter 6) your dog still loves to jump on people or he’s more motivated by attention and play with humans than food, then the following variation of “say please by sitting”...
  • Page 39 Chapter 9: Rewarding Calm Behavior When he sits, reach out to pet him. He’s used to Pet Fido only when he’s sitting. getting treats as a reward for sitting and may not be used to staying seated for an extended period of time, so expect him to get up immediately or start wiggling when you start petting.
  • Page 40 Chapter 9: Rewarding Calm Behavior routine. Soon sitting politely for pats on the head Fido will pull and tug at first, but if will be a habit and Fido will no longer think of you’re completely still, he’ll finally jumping on family members or guests for attention. realize he’s going nowhere, then sit to receive a reward.
  • Page 41 Chapter 9: Rewarding Calm Behavior Troubleshooting If after a day or two, you still don’t see a dramatic change in behavior in your dog who enjoys praise or petting, here’s what you could be doing wrong: • You don’t remove your attention quickly enough or don’t remain stationary when Fido starts to get up.

  • Page 42: Chapter 10: Come When Called In The House

    Chapter 10: Come When Called in the House Recommended Daily Practice: Step 1: Come When Called Three short sessions. in the House For Fidos with spotty hearing when it comes to coming when called (that is, they don’t immediately come when called 100% of the time), it’s a good idea to teach him to consistently come when called.
  • Page 43 Chapter 10: Come When Called in the House that he likes these things. Wait until he’s finished eating the treat before another family member calls. Also play hide and seek where you hide and call him and he looks for you. The goal is to make coming when called a fun game —...

  • Page 44: Chapter 11: Game 4 - Place

    He should also be going read- ily and even goes spontaneously on own. Now we’ll Step 1: Targeting and then teach him to run to his rug with the MannersMinder Lying Down near the rug on cue. If he’s not going over happily or Complete 9 out of 10 correct sessions he wants to avoid his “rug,”...
  • Page 45 Complete 9 out of 10 correct sessions TREAT until after Fido lies down on his rug in front in a row. of the MannersMinder. That is, after he targets he Checklist should automatically run to the MannersMinder ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏...
  • Page 46 “Place” will come to predict that he gets the opportunity to run to the rug and lie down. Once he gets to MannersMinder and is eating his treat, tell him to lie down, then give him a few more treats at random intervals. Make sure you continue giving treats until he’s stable on his down-stay and gives no indication that he wants to run back to you.

  • Page 47: Chapter 12: Game 5 - Down-Stay With Distractions

    Send Fido to his spot, then start walking around. Dole out treats every the MannersMinder so that Fido doesn’t anticipate :03 seconds and fast enough so that when he should get off the rug. Then call Fido he doesn’t think about getting up.
  • Page 48 Chapter 12: Game 5 – Down Stay w/Distractions careful to prepare him for the distraction by starting Step 2: Running Human Distraction with easy distractions and then making them harder Complete 3 one-minute trials in a row. and timing them while he’s eating a treat. Once he is good with harder distractions timed with treats, time these distractions more randomly.
  • Page 49 Chapter 12: Game 5 – Down Stay w/Distractions Step 4a: Toy Distraction from Far Away From here on you only need to complete From here on, you only need to complete 2 one- 2 one-minute trials in a row minute trials in a row successfully before going successfully before going on to the next step.
  • Page 50 With treats coming every :03 seconds, close and open the front door. First, time the distraction as Checklist his head’s buried in the MannersMinder bowl. Then when he’s nonreactive, time the distraction random- ❏ ❏ ly. If he gets up to run to the door, just block him or close the door and wait patiently until he decides to go back to his rug.
  • Page 51 Chapter 12: Game 5 – Down Stay w/Distractions to start by just touching the doorknob or rattling Step 8: Combine All Distractions the lock as he’s eating his treats. Once he ignores Have treats coming every :03 seconds. these cues, increase to opening the door just a quarter of the way and quickly shutting it.
  • Page 52 Chapter 12: Game 5 – Down Stay w/Distractions Step 11: Repeat Step 10, with treats coming every Step 11: Treats every :10 seconds. :10 seconds. Checklist Step 12: Repeat Step 11, with treats coming every ❏ ❏ :15 seconds. Step 13: Repeat Step 12, but give treats every Step 12: Treats every :15 seconds.
  • Page 53 • Fido is not hungry enough. Test with higher value treats or stop the session and resume later in the day. • You haven’t removed the rug or MannersMinder between sessions in Games 1-4, so Fido thinks he can get on and off at will to earn treats.

  • Page 54: Chapter 13: Visitors At The Door

    Fido loses interest, Fido should be glued to his rug whenever the MannersMinder comes out. If this is the case, then you can now leave it out all the time. He will quickly learn that treats only come out when you cue him to “place.”...
  • Page 55 Chapter 13: Visitors at the Door Step 2: Step 2: As soon as he places, dispense treats manually As soon as he places, dispense treats every :02-:03 seconds. Continue at this rate if he manually every :02-:03 seconds. Continue at this rate if he looks like he wants to looks like he wants to get up or if he barks.
  • Page 56 You can tell when you’ve rewarded the wrong behavior because your dog may bark a few times and then looks at the MannersMinder, or if he barks every time you bring the MannersMinder out, then he thinks that barking earns him treats. To fix the behavior, when he’s placed with someone at the door, give him treats continuously to...

  • Page 57: Chapter 14: Fading Out The Mannersminder (Optional)

    MannersMinder a little farther away and repeat. Repeat with the MannersMinder in many locations and many distances away from the rug. • When you can put the MannersMinder up to 10 feet away from the rug and say “place” and he goes to the correct location, you’ve successfully removed the need for the MannersMinder during this exercise.
  • Page 58 Statement of FCC Compliance WARNING: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
  • Page 59 Looking at your dog can be like looking in a mirror. Do you like what you see? Dr. Sophia Yin’s latest book offers: • A positive approach to behavior modification • Clear, straightforward explanations • Creative solutions to common problems Sophia Yin, D.V.M., M.S., is an Applied Animal Behaviorist and past award-winning pet columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • Page 60 Each toy offers a unique chewing experience and helps redirect potentially destructive behavior into positive playtime. Midlothian, VA 888.640.8840 / premier.com Sharper Image and Sharper Image Design are registered trademarks of Sharper Image Corporation. ©2007 Premier Pet Products, LLC. All rights reserved. 0707...

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