Clicker Training

[Marley'z Mum]

I have a couple of questions in regards to clicker training...... The fact is (an this might be really blonde of me) i dont really understand the concept... From what i know of it you get the dog to do what you want, when it does it you click than treat... So the training i have been doing is get him to do what i want then he gets a treat an a "good boy" i guess what i'm asking is whats the point of the click??

And is it better than what i am already doing? An if it is better is it to late to start?

[Kavik]

Clicker training and the use of reward markers is about teaching the dog to work things out for itself and to offer behaviours. In this regard it is quite different to traditional training where you show, guide or lure the dog into position. With clicker training, you let the dog work it out for itself and click/treat (reward) for behaviours that get progressively closer to what you want (successive approximation). It is also about teaching the dog how to cope with failure.

Think of the click as a camera, taking a photo of the behaviour that occurred at the time of the click. It's like playing hot/cold, where the click tells the dog he is going in the right direction with the behaviour, and you gradually build up the behaviour from something small. Eg Walking backwards. You wait for the dog to move a paw (preferably backwards but any paw movement at first) and click/treat. Once the dog knows how to play the game they will offer the behaviour that gets rewarded more often, so you then click/treat, and then wait to see if the dog will give you more (in this case, more movement backwards) and click/treat that.

[minxy]

Exactly what Kavik said. Some people might sa "Yes" as an alternative marker to clicking. You would either say Yes, or click and then follow up with the reward, praise etc. Saying 'Good boy' takes longer than saying 'Yes' or clicking, so these can be more helpful as you want to mark the behaviour the very moment it is done.

[sheena]

For marking every tiny little step, I find the clicker far more effective than just saying "yes". My dog goes nuts when she knows I have the clicker out. You have to first teach that the clicker has value. Best way to do this is to throw treats & as your dog is about to take the treat, click (the treat is the reward)....dog soon catches on that the click means treat is coming. Free shaping is great fun...& that is basicly what the first poster said....dog moves a paw, you click & treat etc. I also use "yes" but mainly for big steps, like going through the right poles on the start to the weave poles, or doing a lovely 2o2o on contacts. That's just what works for me & my dog.

Edited November 21, 2010 by sheena

[Marley'z Mum]

My dog is 7months old.... Is it to late to start?

[sheena]

My dog is 7months old.... Is it to late to start?

I didn't start with my girl until she was two & a half years old. I never bothered until I went to a Dancing with Dogs seminar & they showed me what amazing things you could teach your dog using a clicker. I was hooked & we play free shaping games inside at night (part of her routine before going to bed). I might decide that I want her to put her paws on a certain toy on the floor...it's a bit like playing hot & cold. When she does the smallest movement towards the correct object I click & throw the treat (not at the object)...she comes forward to get the treat & immediately remembers what it was she did to get it & goes back to that, then tries something new, and so on...until she scores ...Then it's a big "yes" & a big party. I just love that moment when the light bulb suddenly goes off

[luvsdogs]

You can join Karen Pryor's site at http://www.clickertraining.com/ there's tons of stuff there as well. I also recommend kikopup on Youtube.

And it's never too late to start, I tried it with April when she was about 8 & it didn't take her long to get the hang of it.

Edited November 21, 2010 by luvsdogs

[shelby-001]

Anyone got any tips on how you do it with 2 dogs around? Is it simply a case of having to separate them to do it or does someone have some really clever way of doing it?

[sheena]

Put one in a crate

[shelby-001]

Put one in a crate

So separate as I thought

[Marley'z Mum]

Thanks for the replies.... I'm going to buy myself a clicker an start some research an give it a go...... :-D