Clicker training

[Smudge]

Well, today we tried "lay" with no success. He is slowly about to grasp the concept, but we're not quite there yet. I've used all the "Victoria Stilwell methods" and he's still having trouble. So I blocked off the living room (after letting him pick a toy from the toy box). Every time he would lay down while playing with his toy I would say "lay" then click and treat. I tried the whole make him walk into a sit down position by guiding him with the treat business. I tried making him go under my leg by walking him with the treat. He lays every time when I do that, but when I stand up and say lay he won't do it. I try to wait for him to do it on his own, but then he just starts sniffing around the room. My mom's poor Nila Waffers almost became an early afternoon snack! I don't want to force his body into the position, because he doesn't like it when I do that so I only tried it once.

We'll get there - eventually. I worked for over an hour on this one trick today.

 

[JessicaR]

you are doing such a good job with the clicker I am sure he will get it eventually. I would however break the training sessions up. They should be 10-15 minute sessions to keep the dog from getting bored or you from getting frustrated. And always end a session with a command he knows. Keep up the great work I look foreward to see how his training is coming along.

 

[Toffee's Mom]

mmmh, interesting!
Sometimes leaving it and coming back to it later works for me... I had tried the 'spin' a couple of months ago, for example, and he was too confused with the hand signal similar to the 'roll over' so really it was my fault confusing him, lol... When I came back to it just the other day, it worked within minutes, so don't let this one today discourage you. Good to stop for today before it gets frustrating, lol. Did you end the exercise with a successful command, like shake? That helps to end it on a positive note, etc, I find and then I am not feeling bad about it not working for this time, and I think he does too.

The 'down' I taught with the ole classic treat into sit and then putting my hand down on the floor with a treat in it, saying down... when his paws slide forward (kitchen floor worked best, lol) I hold the treat until he lays down trying to get his nose/mouth into my hand on the floor, which clutching the treat for dear life, lol. When he is in a down position I say YES, let go of said treat and also lay other treats in between his paws when he is laying down, so he stays in that position for a bit, so I get a chance to say ok to release. Funny enough that took a little bit longer time to sink in as well for Toffee, it must be the having to down thing, maybe not for younger dogs, etc.. but not the easiest one to teach?!

Keep working it, Smudge for the win

 

[Justicemom]

Well, today we tried "lay" with no success. He is slowly about to grasp the concept, but we're not quite there yet. I've used all the "Victoria Stilwell methods" and he's still having trouble. So I blocked off the living room (after letting him pick a toy from the toy box). Every time he would lay down while playing with his toy I would say "lay" then click and treat. I tried the whole make him walk into a sit down position by guiding him with the treat business. I tried making him go under my leg by walking him with the treat. He lays every time when I do that, but when I stand up and say lay he won't do it. I try to wait for him to do it on his own, but then he just starts sniffing around the room. My mom's poor Nila Waffers almost became an early afternoon snack! I don't want to force his body into the position, because he doesn't like it when I do that so I only tried it once.

We'll get there - eventually. I worked for over an hour on this one trick today.

Try this. Have Smudge stand in front of you. Hold a treat in your hand ,hold it slightly above his head and start to walk into him it should make him back up. If he sits you're holding it too high. As soon as heis backing up drop the treat straight down and then back between his front legs. Hopefully he will fold down into the down. Click and treat.

 

[Toffee's Mom]

Try this. Have Smudge stand in front of you. Hold a treat in your hand ,hold it slightly above his head and start to walk into him it should make him back up. If he sits you're holding it too high. As soon as heis backing up drop the treat straight down and then back between his front legs. Hopefully he will fold down into the down. Click and treat.

YES
what she said!

 

[mbfrench]

Well, today we tried "lay" with no success. He is slowly about to grasp the concept, but we're not quite there yet. I've used all the "Victoria Stilwell methods" and he's still having trouble. So I blocked off the living room (after letting him pick a toy from the toy box). Every time he would lay down while playing with his toy I would say "lay" then click and treat. I tried the whole make him walk into a sit down position by guiding him with the treat business. I tried making him go under my leg by walking him with the treat. He lays every time when I do that, but when I stand up and say lay he won't do it. I try to wait for him to do it on his own, but then he just starts sniffing around the room. My mom's poor Nila Waffers almost became an early afternoon snack! I don't want to force his body into the position, because he doesn't like it when I do that so I only tried it once.

We'll get there - eventually. I worked for over an hour on this one trick today.

Are you trying a "down" position Jess? I may be confused.

When I trained Earnhardt I did not use a clicker for this one,but you may try this to see if it works

Get Smudge in a sit position,give a treat. What I did was I took one hand and gently swept my hands under his paws,the other hand was gently on the shoulder area,with a gentle push & slide of the paws outwards,once you are in the position,as he is going down..you repeat the command "down"..dont say his name..just "down"(this would be a good time to click) if you can manuver it.

Unless you can manuver a clicker,treat..and do the slide down,and gentle push,I would omit the clicker,as all of this must be done simultaneous.

He should get it after just a couple of trys,but not to many that it will bore him.

good luck~

 

[Calliesmom]

Well, today we tried "lay" with no success. He is slowly about to grasp the concept, but we're not quite there yet. I've used all the "Victoria Stilwell methods" and he's still having trouble. So I blocked off the living room (after letting him pick a toy from the toy box). Every time he would lay down while playing with his toy I would say "lay" then click and treat. I tried the whole make him walk into a sit down position by guiding him with the treat business. I tried making him go under my leg by walking him with the treat. He lays every time when I do that, but when I stand up and say lay he won't do it. I try to wait for him to do it on his own, but then he just starts sniffing around the room. My mom's poor Nila Waffers almost became an early afternoon snack! I don't want to force his body into the position, because he doesn't like it when I do that so I only tried it once.

We'll get there - eventually. I worked for over an hour on this one trick today.

For Down (to get Callie to lay down on the floor), I captured the behavior. Basically anytime she started to do it on her own, I said down and gave her a treat. She would sit and lay down and all that stuff by herself but didn't seem to know what the words were. Down is her preferred position and it was easier to see that she was about to go down than it was to see if she was going to sit. Once she knew down, I lured her into a sit-held the treat up and she would follow it up. Then from either down or sit, lured her into stand. I didn't have a clicker then but it might have gone a little quicker.
good luck with Smudge

 

[romeosangiovese]

What method did Vic Stillwell use? Did you try the luring method? I watched a whole class of shelter dogs with less than 4 lessons of clicker training all learn "down" with luring in about half an hour (as in they got the concept but haven't put it on cue yet)! You hold the treat at Smudge's eye level, let him sniff it and maybe lick it abit to get his attention (I like to hold the treat really close to the dog's face if it's a behaviour that needs a bit more help), "pull" the treat downwards to the floor SLOWLY and "push" it inwards towards Smudge slightly and slowly (remember this part - it is what "forces" the dog into the down position). You're aiming to get his head bent down and inwards (towards his chest), so his front legs are stretched out (like a play bow) and then his rump drops down.

 

[Caro]

Another method - which is good for small dogs (I did it with Tully) - is to lure under your legs. Victoria Stillwell uses this method too so I'm not sure if its like the one you are using. Sit on the floor, bend your knees and lure the pup to crawl under your legs. As soon as their belly hits the ground treat/click. Once they work out belly on the ground is what you want, move out from under your legs.

Also, it is easier to train ground work to begin with when you are close to the ground with a small dog, rather than standing or sitting on a chair, as you want them to look down not crane their neck to look up at you.

 

[Smudge]

I had already tried using all of the ideas everybody suggested when I made my post (I'm no good at explaining things). I think he's slowly starting to get it. I want him to get it soon though, because once my tree goes up I'm going to use the "lay" command to get a nice picture of him in front of my tree!

After this one I can't decide which command I want him to learn next. I think "leave it" and "stay" are going to two very hard ones for Smudge.

I think Smudge's problem is that he's very wound up. Gizmo learned shake in only a seconds, but it took Smudge a lot longer! Gizmo was much more calm even when we first brought him home. I think Smudge is used to having everything given to him. He's never had to work for a toy or treat.