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Training Session (Feb 12, 2011)

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Add comment February 12th, 2011

Lego learns to OPEN drawers

by Anu Maurya

Glowing Rope Toy For a birthday surprise, I was trying to think of something Lego could do to surprise his human friend. Apart from getting a card signed by Lego, I thought maybe Lego could perform a new lil’trick. But I only had 20 minutes to come up with it…

After scrambling around my home for a couple minutes while Lego followed me excitedly, I suddenly got a glimpse of a new rope toy Lego got for Christmas. It was as if it was glowing and arrows were pointing to it!

I recalled what my friend had said when she gave it to Lego, “Rope toys are fun and can also be used as a utility tool for dogs to open doors.”

The doors at my home are heavy, so I thought of trying it with drawers that have railings, which makes them slide out effortlessly.

I grabbed the toy, and Lego’s eyes lit up, as if he saw the glow and arrows around the rope toy too…!

I asked Lego to sit and I looped the toy around the handle of the drawer. I chose a drawer that was high enough so that the rope toy dangled and wasn’t on the floor. I figured if the rope was on the floor, he might not be able to grasp the concept of pulling on it.

Lego sat and watched every move I made. Since Lego wasn’t quite sure of what he was supposed to do, I guided him by asking him something he was familiar with, I asked him to “BRING the toy”. That is a retrieve command, where he grabs whatever I direct him to and he brings it back to me. It was different from the task I wanted him to do, but I felt it was a good starting point.

Upon hearing the phrase, Lego stood up on his hind legs, and grabbed the toy at the end of the rope that was looped at the drawer. He tried to untie the loop, but in that process, the drawer slid opened. At that very moment, I immediately marked that action with praises and rewards. I repeated the phrase again, and he did the same thing — grabbed the toy at the end and as the drawer opened, I marked his action. I then pointed to the rope that was dangling close to the tied end and asked him to bring the toy. Lego grabbed the rope where I pointed, tugged on it and the drawer opened.

Each time, I praised and rewarded him excitedly, and I truly was — I never expected that he would be able to understand my words and gestures that quickly!

I asked him again, but this time I used the phrase “OPEN the drawer”, pointed to the rope and he did it! I practiced this exercise a few more times, on different drawer heights and Lego understood that he doesn’t need to grab the toy from the end where it was hooped, instead just some part of it that is convenient for him to grab and pull till the drawer slides open.

In 20 minutes we were all set to showcase the new trick for the birthday party. Lego’s human friend was indeed very surprised and absolutely loved Lego’s gift. And Lego was very happy to perform, and got lots of treats, hugs and kisses