What Questions Do You Have About Clicker Training?

[Paul Bright]

Looking around on this forum and others, I've noticed that a number of people have different questions about clicker training. Questions like "How do I train what the clicker mean?" "How does clicker training work?" etc....

And I am wondering, what questions DO you have about clicker training?

If you reply and post a question, I'll do my best to try and answer it for you

Edited November 24, 2010 by Paul Bright

[poodlefan]

Before you do Paul, can you outline what your training qualifications are and what you think "clicker training" is?

I don't see that there's any magic to using a clicker to train as opposed to doing it any other way. It's a marker, nothing more.

Edited November 24, 2010 by poodlefan

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

paul i would also be interested in your training background.

[JulesP]

Can't say that heaps of questions about clicker training have jumped out at me.

You trying to drum up business Paul? Got to be a bit more subtle then that!

[Paul Bright]

Before you do Paul, can you outline what your training qualifications are and what you think "clicker training" is?

I don't see that there's any magic to using a clicker to train as opposed to doing it any other way. It's a marker, nothing more.

paul i would also be interested in your training background.

My training background...Im not a professional trainer or anything like that. Im just regular person who has used clicker training to help train my dog. This is what I think clicker training is. A Method of training your dog that uses a "clicker" to mark desired behavior and then rewarding it. Mainly what I like about clicker training is that is uses postive reinforcment as opposed to negative reinforcement. Clicker training is just one of many tools that can be used to train a dog. It just happens to be the one that I like.

Can't say that heaps of questions about clicker training have jumped out at me.

You trying to drum up business Paul? Got to be a bit more subtle then that!

Here's a question that was posted a few days ago about clicker training. http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=209579

While I do have something to try and help people with clicker training, it wasn't my intention to flog anything. So I aplogise for coming across like that.

Edited November 24, 2010 by Paul Bright

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

Can't say that heaps of questions about clicker training have jumped out at me.

You trying to drum up business Paul? Got to be a bit more subtle then that!

you know Jules, i got curious and it seems that the websites Paul has been referring people to he actually owns.

Paul if you are going to do this it might be better to let people know you have an interest in what those web sites are selling.

whois is my friend. http://www.whois.net

Edited November 24, 2010 by Jaxx'sBuddy

[becks]

Can't say that heaps of questions about clicker training have jumped out at me.

You trying to drum up business Paul? Got to be a bit more subtle then that!

you know Jules, i got curious and it seems that the websites Paul has been referring people to he actually owns.

Paul if you are going to do this it might be better to let people know you have an interest in what those web sites are selling.

whois is my friend. http://www.whois.net

Especially when it is for an introductory price!

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

Can't say that heaps of questions about clicker training have jumped out at me.

You trying to drum up business Paul? Got to be a bit more subtle then that!

you know Jules, i got curious and it seems that the websites Paul has been referring people to he actually owns.

Paul if you are going to do this it might be better to let people know you have an interest in what those web sites are selling.

whois is my friend. http://www.whois.net

Especially when it is for an introductory price!

indeed a "be quick or it will get expensive" introductory price :p

[poodlefan]

Here's a question that was posted a few days ago about clicker training. http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=209579

While I do have something to try and help people with clicker training, it wasn't my intention to flog anything. So I aplogise for coming across like that.

How do you think adding a clicker as a marker (best tell the OP there's no such thing as a clicker "cue") is going to help with this Paul?

And also getting her to understand that whether or not I have a treat in my pocket, you just have to DO IT.

Before I posted, I didn't see anyone else address the key issue the OP is having with her dog. No amount of trick training or shaping behaviours using a clicker as a marker is going to get your dog to reliably come when its called unless you train specifically for that. And clicker training a recall over distance is a bitch. I'd argue that it's one behaviour that's pretty difficult to clicker train actually. Most longer duration behaviours are.

Edited November 24, 2010 by poodlefan

[Brennan's Mum]

I am confused

There are many trainers on here who use various methods ( including Positive Reinforcement methods) and that use the clicker.

I, myself volunteer with a Positive Reinforcement Trainer who uses the clicker, and have been training only with Positive Reinforcement and using the clicker since I got my dog as a pup.

I would also like to know your qualifications as well. What makes you qualified to become the ''go to'' person for Clicker training? surely you could just participate in threads about using the clicker?

ETA- I just looked at your website, again, you are advertising this product, but you have listed no qualifications, no study or career history. I'm confused. What makes you more qualified or a better person to educate about using the Clicker to train then some one like Karen Pryor, ( whose qualifications are easily found). Sorry, but it comes across as a scam to me.

Edited November 24, 2010 by Brennan's Mum

[Paganman]

Can't say that heaps of questions about clicker training have jumped out at me.

You trying to drum up business Paul? Got to be a bit more subtle then that!

you know Jules, i got curious and it seems that the websites Paul has been referring people to he actually owns.

Paul if you are going to do this it might be better to let people know you have an interest in what those web sites are selling.

whois is my friend. http://www.whois.net

Especially when it is for an introductory price!

indeed a "be quick or it will get expensive" introductory price ;)

I thought it was a bit sus when Paul was going to different sub forums and adding replies to about 10 topics in a row.I thought he was trying to get into off topic butI guess he was trying to make us think he knew a lot about dogs so wed sign up

[Staranais]

My training background...Im not a professional trainer or anything like that. Im just regular person who has used clicker training to help train my dog. This is what I think clicker training is. A Method of training your dog that uses a "clicker" to mark desired behavior and then rewarding it. Mainly what I like about clicker training is that is uses postive reinforcment as opposed to negative reinforcement. Clicker training is just one of many tools that can be used to train a dog. It just happens to be the one that I like.

You mean instead of positive punishment I think, no offence.

It is a nice gesture to offer to answer people's questions about clicker training. I think there is a question on clicker training in the training section at the moment, so you could post there perhaps.

It would be interesting if you told us what you have trained your dog to do.

[Paul Bright]

My training background...Im not a professional trainer or anything like that. Im just regular person who has used clicker training to help train my dog. This is what I think clicker training is. A Method of training your dog that uses a "clicker" to mark desired behavior and then rewarding it. Mainly what I like about clicker training is that is uses postive reinforcment as opposed to negative reinforcement. Clicker training is just one of many tools that can be used to train a dog. It just happens to be the one that I like.

You mean instead of positive punishment I think, no offence.

It is a nice gesture to offer to answer people's questions about clicker training. I think there is a question on clicker training in the training section at the moment, so you could post there perhaps.

It would be interesting if you told us what you have trained your dog to do.

Look i've used clicker training to teach my dog the basics like sit, stay, roll over, play dead etc... so nothing to fancy. And Im sure people in this community have done a lot more then that with their dogs then this using other methods. But thats what ive done. Im certainly no Karen Pryor, I wish I was.

A little while back a friend of mine and I did a survey and we asked "What your biggest question about clicker training?". I got over 41 different questions (a few were doubled up), here -are some of them:

-My question "Why can't you just say "yes" or "good"?

-How do I do this without 3 hands? I need one hand for the treat, one for the clicker and one to hold the leash (well I guess I could drop the leash, but that is only if my dog is already trained.....)

-How do you know when to stop using the clicker for a specific command?

- How do I learn to use the clicker without confusing the dog, especially if I'm doing it wrong? Do I need to learn before I try it with my dogs?

- How do I train my dog what the clicker means?

It amazed me how many questions people had about clicker training.

The goal for me was to work out the answers to these questions for people by using personal experience research and possilby interview a clicker training expert, and to create a course which addressed those questions. I ended up creating a small course through the research I did and trial and error to help people train their dog what the clicker means, as that question came up the most.

My intention for creating this post was to try and help out and answer the best that I could the questions people had about clicker training. Again Im not Karen Pryor, so I was going to use personal experience and the research I've done to do my best and answer the questions. Im sure there would have been some I had no clue about, but Im sure there would be someone here that would know the answer.

I aplogise for upsetting anyone.

Thanks

Edited November 24, 2010 by Paul Bright

[poodlefan]

Paul Bright:

-My question "Why can't you just say "yes" or "good"?

Well why don't we start with these questions. Why can't you?

[Paul Bright]

Paul Bright:

-My question "Why can't you just say "yes" or "good"?

Well why don't we start with these questions. Why can't you?

Sound good.

Again I don't have all the answers, so anyone elses feedback would be great too.

Use of Clicker vs. Your Voice...A few things I found was that a clicker is useful becuase it gives a distict sound. Orginally I thought if you were out with other who are using clicker training too, that your dog would get confused with all the different clickers. Turns out that your dog can tell the difference between your clicker, and the persons next to you because of their sensitive hearing.

Using a clicker will also allow you to immediately reward your dog for good behavior. A click is instantaneous – faster than verbal praises or commands – allowing you to give rewards more accurately. You are more likely to miss the moment when your dog is doing exactly the right thing you are training him to do. And being able to pinpoint the exact behavior you want to reward would mean that your dog can understand and learn faster.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

Paul Bright:

-My question "Why can't you just say "yes" or "good"?

Well why don't we start with these questions. Why can't you?

Sound good.

Again I don't have all the answers, so anyone elses feedback would be great too.

Use of Clicker vs. Your Voice...A few things I found was that a clicker is useful becuase it gives a distict sound. Orginally I thought if you were out with other who are using clicker training too, that your dog would get confused with all the different clickers. Turns out that your dog can tell the difference between your clicker, and the persons next to you because of their sensitive hearing.

Using a clicker will also allow you to immediately reward your dog for good behavior. A click is instantaneous – faster than verbal praises or commands – allowing you to give rewards more accurately. You are more likely to miss the moment when your dog is doing exactly the right thing you are training him to do. And being able to pinpoint the exact behavior you want to reward would mean that your dog can understand and learn faster.

the wording above seems to have come from this website Paul http://www.aboutdogobedience.com/dog-clicker-training.php hope that's one of yours otherwise you should acknowledge your source

[anniek]

Turns out that your dog can tell the difference between your clicker, and the persons next to you because of their sensitive hearing.

So what happens if I have lost my clicker and buy a new one - does training have to start all over again?

[RubyStar]

the wording above seems to have come from this website Paul http://www.aboutdogobedience.com/dog-clicker-training.php hope that's one of yours otherwise you should acknowledge your source

If that's the case then there is conflicting advice being given. That website above also states:

Another disadvantage is that a clicker can become confusing in group training. There is no way for a dog to distinguish one clicker from another.

[W Sibs]

Does this mean you have to carry the clicker everywhere you go with your dog? What if you forget?

How do you mark your dog for doing a behaviour you like if you don't have a clicker on your hand?

I only use clicker when doing complex skills with my JS.

She also has marker words which is 'Good' and 'Yes'. This works for us because I rarely say "Good" or "Yes" to her

I personally don't think a dog will just recognise their own clicker. Some might but I don't think it really matters. Just because I have a lot of clickers at home and Emmy will get excited with any clicker I bring out. You can be in the same room with me and I use your clicker on Emmy, and she will still work for me. She won't work for the clicker you're using (even if it's hers) and that's because she will work for me regardless what equipment I use

Edited November 24, 2010 by CW EW

[Cosmolo]

If you condition it in the same way, a verbal marker will do the same. No piece of equipment provides good timing- thats up to the handler.