Started Clicker Training Today

[Belijae]

I'm standing on the patio, trying to gently open the pack of training treats, then Riiip . Little treats go flying everywhere when the bag splits top to bottom. *sigh* Quickly pick up as many treats that are on the ground as possible. Luckily Forge didn't seem to realize that he could just do his own tour and just hoover them up. So I got most of them before he stopped following me around while I'm on all fours.

Things went great after that. He's only almost 9 weeks old, so I'm not expecting too much to start with, just trying to lay some foundations until I get the hang of it. Clicking and rewarding when he would come to me and saying come while he was bounding towards me. I've clicked and rewarded him for peeing too. I was click and rewarding for sits and also said it a few times and he sat for me. Then we had a play session before I asked for more sits and rewarded for coming back to me.

Is this the right way to start with a baby puppy? Naming, clicking and rewarding good behaviours that he offers?

[leopuppy04]

Sounds like you are doing everything right so far!

*Keep the sessions short - clicker training causes dogs to burn out a LOT faster than normal training because we aren't giving them any clues.

*this age is great to start with - you'll end up with a 'free thinker' - be it good or bad

*If you like - you can just do a 2 min session of click,treat,click,treat,click,treat.... most dogs dont' need too long of that to figure our we like clicks :p

*this is only a personal opinion - so you are definately not doing anything wrong, but if i'm shaping, I won't add a command in there. If i'm luring and clicking the correct behaviour - then a command is ok.... reason being - shaping is getting the dog to 'think' and they may not offer the exact behaviour and we have already cued it.... does that make sense?

*Remember to click QUIET behaviours too - ie: lying on bed quietly, chewing on correct toys etc.... hmm... maybe not the last one (you'll distract them!).

*Word of warning with the clicker and toileting - don't get too liberal with it :p. I have heard of cases (and had a little experience with it myself) of someone 'clicking' the toileting and the dog will stop mid-pee to get the treat - so it hadn't actually finished :D. I had problems with my girl going outside of home turf so I would get really excited when she did.... result is that she would do about 5 poos coz every time I praised, she'd stop coz she wanted the reward Someone else told me of the dog going through the 'motions' but not actually producing anything - they just wanted the treat!

Good luck - it's heaps of fun!!!

[ShellyBeggs]

Someone else told me of the dog going through the 'motions' but not actually producing anything - they just wanted the treat!

I had this prob with my lab when toilet training and treating (clickers weren't big back then).......he would cry at the door to go out nearly every 5 minutes, run out and try and squeeze out a few drops so he could come in and get a treat.

[Belijae]

Thanks Leopuppy and ShellyBeggs, glad to know I'm not doing anything obviously wrong. I might just do praise and pats for toileting . I'm sort of trying to be generous yet sporadic with the clicking/treats so he won't expect them every time, while still trying to get him really into the clicker.

[ness]

Check out clickersolutions if you want heaps of really good clicker training articles.

http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/index.htm

There are some other links that might be worth checking out:

http://www.doggonecrazy.ca/clicker%20puppy.htm#download

<Has some videos of specific behaviours and a DVD you can order>

Here is a great one on Puppy shaping:

http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2...uppyshaping.htm

This link is great at giving clear instructions for teaching a number of behaviours and progressing them through as far as you wish to take them including leading to performance activities.

http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20DOGS/Leve...LevelsBook.html

[leopuppy04]

Thanks Leopuppy and ShellyBeggs, glad to know I'm not doing anything obviously wrong. I might just do praise and pats for toileting . I'm sort of trying to be generous yet sporadic with the clicking/treats so he won't expect them every time, while still trying to get him really into the clicker.

Not sure I understood your above comment but thought i'll say this anyway.

In some instances i'm a 'purist' clicker - when I click I MUST treat. That is the way I build up the strong association. BUT I don't want my dog to be reliant on it, so when the clicker is away, it doesn't mean that you have lost opportunity for rewards. so I also use a bridge command such as "yes" to tell them when they have done the right thing. I use the clicker for 'training sessions, new tricks and precision work'.....

Just thought i'd add it in so that you know to use your voice and other tools also so that you still have a reliable dog when the clicker is left at home . There are some good clicker links on my web page below

[Belijae]

Thanks Ness, those links look GREAT!

Leopuppy - what I meant was that he doesn't get the click and treat every time he sits for example (and click is always followed by treat when I do click). I've been doing things like telling him "Good Boy" and "yes" and requiring him to sit before the door is opened or he gets his meals.

I've borrowed and read "power of positive dog training" by Pat miller and I'm trying to do it the way it's laid out in that book (from memory until I get my own copy). One of the Karen Pryor books is next.