Clicker training

S

Smudge

Forums Sage
Just last night I worked with Smudge to use clicker training. He did EXCELLENT for a first try. :biggrin2: He still needs some work, but over all it was great. I'm teaching the "look" command right now. I took him to different areas of the house and tried it, changed the way I was standing, ect.

After a dog gets a command down how long do you usually wait before trying a different command? I can already see I'm going to need a pouch and possibly a video to help me, but as far as teaching different things goes what's the rule of thumb? Like do you wait a few days or do you go straight into another command?

I'm going to keep going with the "look" command until I get my pouch and video in, but I was wondering if anybody could maybe give me some advice. :biggrin2: The first big step is going to be "look" while Tux (that's what we've named the evil cat...not sure what his/her real name is!) is sitting in front of him! I'm not even going to attempt that one for a few more days though.
 
You are doing great!! Keep doing what you are doing!! Then add small distractions and lengthen the time Smudge looks at you.

Have you given it a verbal or hand signal command yet?? Thats the next step..after they understand what you want from them...

We started different things right away...even in the same class period. So I don't think it matters...just make sure you only click for the behaviour you want. Smudge will soon start offering all kinds of things to get you to click.

I love teaching with a clicker...Clancy loves it too..Abby was scared of the clicker at first but now she does ok...

woofs

Julie
Clancy & Abby
 
You got your clicker in the mail? :) Awesome and YAY for it going so well already!

Guys, do you think clicker training can be started at any age... I would like to start with it, myself... what's your experiences?
 
I LOVE the clicker! and yes, it can be started at any age! That is the beauty of it. It is soooo easy and the dogs pick it up so quickly and it does not use any corrections or negative reinforcement. I ordered my clickers and a couple of books. The one I really liked, as it was super easy to follow (one trick/new behaviour per page WITH pictures) is "Clikcing with your Dog, Step-by-Step in Pictures" by Peggy Tillman. She goes into tricks and behaviours like car riding etc.
 
thanks Ania!!

I guess there is no time like the present! I have talked about/thought about it AND discussed it, lol But I just have not bought a clicker and have just used the word 'Yes' as a mark, etc... but I understand that this isn't really quite exact enough to mark the right instant etc... so I am thinking of taking it a bit further and actually DOING it! I come from a background where compulsion and check collars were the norm, and it's so outdated in my opinion... I have now finally bought into the positive re-enforcement school of thought, so I better put my clicker where my mouth is! :biggrin2:

I will find that book on the chapters website right now and order it.

Thanks for starting this thread, I think I needed to be reminded!!

I love this forum!
hehehe
 
I am sure you will like it.

You should see the difference it has made in my two dogs and their speed of learning - it still amazes me. I also got to see the difference in the dogs behaviour toward its owner first hand in Chinook's obedience classes. The instructor taught by using lures and corrections. I never did - I used the clicker. Everyone each week thought I just had the smartest dog (ok I did :biggrin2: but that is not the point) and that we were showing off because he learned so much fastser and performed the behaviours so well. The other dogs were a bit timid, you could see that, and they really did not 'understand' what their owners were asking them to do, so they had no idea why they were being corrected. (it was explained to me this way once: if you went to a dance class, and the instructor came up to you on your first day and said 'tango', would you know what to do? or would you just look at him/her with a blank expression on your face? and if you did not do it, he/she would push you into postitons. Would you not get annoyed and not want to come back? Now, if your instructor first taught you the steps, and then put it together into 'a' dance, and then named it, and then said to you 'this final product is a tango' - you would tango because you knew what the dance was.) It made total and complete sense to me.

Let me know how it goes!
 
I haven't gotten mine in the mail yet. I went to Wal-Mart yesterday and they had clickers! Who knew! :eek2: So I picked one up. Now I'll have an extra one when my other one gets in through the mail.

Because I am a picture loving/video taking fool I have a clip of Smudge doing his "look" command. I know it's nothing great, but it's only the first day. Also, I don't usually throw things at my dog. :lol: I threw his treat at him because I was trying to hold the treat, camera, and the clicker all at once. I can already see this thing is going to become addicting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZesGyBJAOxI
 
Clickers are wonderful... and you did a great job of timing the reward, even if you did have to throw it !

You can also use a verbal "marker" such as "yes", followed by the treat if you don't have the clicker with you or can get to it quickly enough to mark the behavior you want.

The fun has just begun ..........
 
Here's a funny story,
Tofu Pup has always trained the puppies to "show" with a clicker. They learn very quickly to set themselves. Also she used it in training her 4-H sheltie in obedience.
My husband, not really a dog person, never paid attention to the clicker training. One night, the clicker was accidently left on the desk in my husband's office. All the dogs, I don't even remember how many there were at that time, but probably between 8-10, were in the house for the evening.
I went in to his office to speak with him, and he picked up the clicker, and asked what it was. Before I could answer, he clicked it, and immediately there was the sound of thunder on the staircase! A pack of dogs came charging into the room, all expecting a treat. They certainly were well trained!
 
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