So far so good. Edgar is stepping up from my shoulder most of the times. If he doesn't want to, I show him a clicker and then he steps up because he knows that clicker means reward (always). Without clicker I also reward him but not every time. Sometimes I praise him but I don't give him a treat.
I think Edgar needed to become aware that I can ask something from him outside the training sesion. When we are training he is focused on understanding what I'm asking him and he wants to cooperate. He is in the training mode. Outside training sesion he is relaxed, not concentrating on my requests. Now he knows that sometimes he has to concentrate outside training. I could compare it to a working dog. While working, the assisting dog is wearing special collar or harnes, so he goes to working mode. Outside working he wears normal collar so he knows, he can play. I think it was the same with Edgar. Training session means training state of mind. Outside training session means relaxed state of mind.
I think Edgar needed to become aware that I can ask something from him outside the training sesion. When we are training he is focused on understanding what I'm asking him and he wants to cooperate. He is in the training mode. Outside training sesion he is relaxed, not concentrating on my requests. Now he knows that sometimes he has to concentrate outside training. I could compare it to a working dog. While working, the assisting dog is wearing special collar or harnes, so he goes to working mode. Outside working he wears normal collar so he knows, he can play. I think it was the same with Edgar. Training session means training state of mind. Outside training session means relaxed state of mind.