Post by RealPitBull on Oct 13, 2008 12:51:50 GMT -5
A simple clicker training exercise to try at home with your dog - get
your dog to move a paper cup with his nose:
1) "Charge" the clicker by clicking then treating in succession. Do
this for a few days, over the course of each day, for several minutes
each time (a good time to charge your clicker is while you are sitting
watching tv. Randomly click and toss your dog a treat.) Test the power
of the clicker by randomly clicking when your dog isn't paying
attention to you. If your dog swings around to look at you, the
clicker is ready to be put to work!
2) Take an unused paper or plastic cup. In a small, quiet room, show
it to your dog. Let him sniff it, and watch you place it on the floor.
Hold your clicker, and have some yummy treats in a bowl off to the
side where your dog cannot reach them.
3) Walk around the room without saying anything. Ignore your dog's
attempts to sucker treats out of you without earning them. Watch your
dog carefully. If he looks at or moves towards the cup on the floor,
click & treat. Each time your dog moves towards or looks at the cup,
click & treat.
4) Now, wait for your dog to get closer to the cup than he's ever
gotten before. Click & treat each time he gets closer and don't click
anything else.
5) Watch for your dog's nose to get near or touch the cup, when it
does, click & treat. Don't click anything else
6) Now wait until your dog hits the cup with his nose with enthusiasm
(he may even knock the cup over). Good, click & treat! Pick the cup
up, place it upright on the floor, and try again. Click & treat each
time he touches the cup with his nose enthusiasm, and only then.
The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate the power of the
clicker, and specifically how the process of shaping works (breaking
the behavior down into steps). You'll see that this whole process
takes a very short period of time. Watch for the gleam in your dog's
eye when he figures out what it is you want from him!
your dog to move a paper cup with his nose:
1) "Charge" the clicker by clicking then treating in succession. Do
this for a few days, over the course of each day, for several minutes
each time (a good time to charge your clicker is while you are sitting
watching tv. Randomly click and toss your dog a treat.) Test the power
of the clicker by randomly clicking when your dog isn't paying
attention to you. If your dog swings around to look at you, the
clicker is ready to be put to work!
2) Take an unused paper or plastic cup. In a small, quiet room, show
it to your dog. Let him sniff it, and watch you place it on the floor.
Hold your clicker, and have some yummy treats in a bowl off to the
side where your dog cannot reach them.
3) Walk around the room without saying anything. Ignore your dog's
attempts to sucker treats out of you without earning them. Watch your
dog carefully. If he looks at or moves towards the cup on the floor,
click & treat. Each time your dog moves towards or looks at the cup,
click & treat.
4) Now, wait for your dog to get closer to the cup than he's ever
gotten before. Click & treat each time he gets closer and don't click
anything else.
5) Watch for your dog's nose to get near or touch the cup, when it
does, click & treat. Don't click anything else
6) Now wait until your dog hits the cup with his nose with enthusiasm
(he may even knock the cup over). Good, click & treat! Pick the cup
up, place it upright on the floor, and try again. Click & treat each
time he touches the cup with his nose enthusiasm, and only then.
The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate the power of the
clicker, and specifically how the process of shaping works (breaking
the behavior down into steps). You'll see that this whole process
takes a very short period of time. Watch for the gleam in your dog's
eye when he figures out what it is you want from him!
I look forward to learning much here