My dog instinctively "wipes his paws" on the ground after toileting, so I thought it would be cute/useful to shape a "Wipe!" command, e.g. to clean muddy paws on a doormat. I've read the wikis here, and I have successfully shaped many other behaviors/commands. For this one, though,he seems not to understand he can "wipe his paws" if he hasn't just toileted.
I rewarded when he did his paw-wiping behavior after toileting, and added the cue "Wipe!" when he is about to start it. He wipes his paws excitedly, as he knows he's about to get a reward for doing so. …But whenever I try to give him the command in any other context, he just stares at me in confusion.
The unintended result, currently, is that I have a dog who wipes his paws very enthusiastically and extensively after toileting (even if I don't give the cue/reward, he's just excited to do it now), but he will not do it in any other context. It seems I have conditioned him classically, but not operantly.
Suggestions how to proceed?
submitted by /u/HemlockIV
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