Multi-tasking success!

I just got Dragon to take his little leash tab (his strongest retrieve item) into his mouth and sit and hold it!! Twice, even!! I'm over the moon!

For about five sessions now we've been working on what I call "multi-tasking" -- he had to both hold the leash tab in his mouth and do another trick at the same time. I started off combining tricks that would be easy, such as walking over low poles on the ground, or following my hand around. When he could do that we switched to tricks that were slightly more complex, but had a strong reinforcement history and he knew them well. (Examples are spinning in both directions and leg weaves.) Last session I finally asked him to sit while holding it, and the first couple of times he dropped the tab and then sat. Then he was able to hold it while starting to sit, but I had a feeling that he would immediately spit it out so I clicked as he was starting to make the motion.

This session I used his ball as a reward to keep his motivation high. He was able to hold the tab for two full seconds while sitting and looking at me.

He doesn't know how to do a front yet (er, it's on the to-do list). For now I'll continue asking for other tricks while holding, interspersed with asking him to sit for slightly longer periods of time. When he's solid on that, I'll add in the element of distraction -- moving my hands around and towards the tab.

Sooo excited.