Clicker Training

[RealPitBull]

This is my method of choice, and an excellent, humane way to train your dog and teach him just about anything. To learn more about clicker training, please visit:

www.clickertraining.com

OR you can post your questions here!

[mcgregor]

Yogi has a very bad habit of getting exited and jumpy when people are coming to my gate, he loves people but he jumps on them wanting affection returned, would the clicker help train him to cease this bad habit ?...I have tried the kneeing in the chest method but to no avail..

[RealPitBull]

For some basic information on clicker training and how it works, please read the following pages:

clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/primer.htm

clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/ocguide.htm

clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/glossary.htm

[RealPitBull]

Clicker 101: By Mary Harwelik

Charging the Clicker:

1) Click and toss a treat.
2) Repeat numerous times throughout the week, in a variety of settings.
3) Get used to clicking and treating at a fast, high rate.
4) Practice using the clicker on your own, without your dog; keep a
pile of food treats, and practice clicking and placing a piece of food
in a cup after each click. Time yourself - see how fast you can place
10, 20, 50 treats into a cup.

Using the Clicker for Training:

1) The clicker should be used during formal training sessions, and whenever you want to click/treat your dog for good behaviors you observe.

2) The clicker "tells" the dog when he's done the right thing. Click
once after each "right" behavior.

3) Always follow the click with a food reward.

4) Initially, do not say anything to your dog. Wait until you see the
behavior, then CT.

5) When you can predict the behavior, begin to use a verbal cue word
(like "sit") as your dog begins to do the behavior. Then use the word immediately PRIOR to the behavior happening to GET the behavior to happen.

6) Work on the 3 D's – Duration, Distance, Distraction.

7) When your dog responds to the cue word 80% of the time (gets 8 out
of 10 repetitions right), swap the clicker for your verbal release
word, followed by food rewards.

8) Randomly reward! Put your dog on a variable reinforcement schedule
(in other words, reward randomly - only reward some correct
responses).

9) Vary your rewards (sometimes food, sometimes play, sometimes
freedom, sometimes petting/attention, etc.)

Name Recognition:

1) Say your dog's name, CT.

2) Repeat often throughout the week

3) Randomly surprise your dog by saying his name and offering him
something great in return - do this in a variety of environments, esp. during walks.

4) Never use your dog's name in vain! Keep the association a good one.

5) Never call your dog to you and do something to him he will not like
(bath, crate, yell at him, etc.)

[snipe]

ok so i just bought one of those clickers, probably should have just saved a snapple lid, but whatever it's only 2 bucks. any way, in the beginning when I am first associating the click with a treat, should I get her to do other tricks she already knows? or just click and treat? also, what kind of reaction should the click illicit? should she just look up, or come over? sorry if this is alot, i get what to do after but i want to have a sturdy base.

[RealPitBull]

To start out with, you say NOTHING, just click/treat. The dog doesn't have to do anything, either. She has no idea what the sound means so she may not even look or orient (most dogs do, though). That treat should come right away after the click.

When your dog is repeatedly orienting towards you immediately after the click, you know she's 'got it'.

After that, I would start from scratch with some behaviors, even ones she already knows, like sit. With clicker training, during the intial stages of teaching the dog what the clicker means, or teaching a new behavior, the dog does the behavior first - either on her own, or somehow prompted (with a food lure, for instance), and then you click and treat. After the dog is doing the behavior repeatedly, you tack on the verbal cue right as you see the dog beginning to do the behavior. Eventually, you'll be able to say 'sit' and the dog will sit, you click and treat. The post above explains about how to wean the dog off the clicker.

[Chloe]

This method is one that I really want to start using.
My question is, how do I use clicker training with the heel command? When's the right time to click and treat with this paritcular one?

Thanks for the info.

[bamapitbullmom]

Chloe~ Before you get started, check out www.clickersolutions.com and pick up some books (dogwise.com is a great source) and maybe join a group list online, clickersolutions is one of them on .

Karen Pryor is the clicker training guru so be sure to start with her website: www.clickertraining.com And you can see videos of her training various behaviors on youtube, among other trainers.

Timing is crucial when clicker training and before you ever get started you need to spend a few days "loading" the clicker. This basically is associating the sound with the reward. That's all it means in the beginning to the dog: click means treat. Period. I don't even ask anything of a dog when loading a clicker with them.

The click "marks" the behavior you want. This is why timing and a good eye is important. If you click at the wrong time, you'll be marking an inaccurate behavior.

There are also various applications with clicker training such as free shaping, capturing, luring, etc.

Some behaviors are easier to train using one method than others.

For example, I free shaped my dogs their "roll over" cues but captured their "lick chops" which I later cued with me sticking my tongue out.

Along with clicker training (this can be taught by clicker training) teaching targeting is invaluable and extensively useful.

You'll quickly find after working with a clicker that your dog wil begin to automatically offer every behavior and trick he/she knows. This is when shaping comes in and fine tuning your cues.

[RealPitBull]

Feb 25, 2009 13:17:43 GMT -5 Chloe said:

This method is one that I really want to start using.
My question is, how do I use clicker training with the heel command? When's the right time to click and treat with this paritcular one?

Thanks for the info.

Here's a how-to. The whole site is really great, actually.

www.clickerlessons.com/heeling.htm

[tank]

I just want to add that I think this is a great resource. I am beginning clicker training and have read some of it (more reading to come when I get the attention span!) and it has been so helpful. Thank you Mary!

[bamapitbullmom]

Just wanted to share some of my favorite clicker videos:

First few from Klickerklok



(I love the shaping with the setter)



(not a dog but proof of the effectiveness of clicker training)

[snipe]

cool thank you. i am currently working on "lap" (she puts her head on my thigh when sitting), "look" (making eye contact), and "follow" (follow a target stick)

[RealPitBull]

That's awesome, Snipe! It's fun, isn't it? I especially like target training. FYI, there is a book all about target training - called, aptly enough, Right On Target! - I haven't read it yet, but it's on dogwise.com if you are interested. But I'll warn you, Dogwise is dangerous for your bankaccount if you are a dog book nut like myself.

www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB864

[Chloe]

Thanks everybody for all the info on clicker training. I look forward to starting it and sticking with it this time. LOL

[snipe]

Mar 2, 2009 13:18:38 GMT -5 RealPitBull said:

That's awesome, Snipe! It's fun, isn't it? I especially like target training. FYI, there is a book all about target training - called, aptly enough, Right On Target! - I haven't read it yet, but it's on dogwise.com if you are interested. But I'll warn you, Dogwise is dangerous for your bankaccount if you are a dog book nut like myself.

www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB864

lol i'll have to be careful.

Alright, here's a question about training a dog to go to a mark. Basically how should I do it? I want to first get the pointer stick down-pat so she knows exactly where I want her to go. Do you think I should use a physical object (a mat, or flat disc) for her to sit on, or maybe some tape on the ground. I think that a physical object would work better.

Basically where I want to go with this is teach her to go to her mark when people come to the door, so she is not crowding the doorway. Since I don't have the book yet I was hoping I could get some answers sooner here.

[RealPitBull]

Snipe, I'm going to create another thread on your above question, so that it doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

[snipe]

Mar 3, 2009 14:51:30 GMT -5 RealPitBull said:

Snipe, I'm going to create another thread on your above question, so that it doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

cool i've seen it, thanks.

[Chloe]

Can anyone help me or reccomend a good clicker trainer in or around Denver Colorado? I found one in Evergreen and Ft. Collins but those are a little bit to far for me.
I need to get Chloe started on her obedience class but I'm torn between going with what & who I've know since I was 10 or trying clicker training (which is new to me) with a trainer that's new to me.
It's hard to find a good trainer these days, seems like everybody's doin it even if they shouldnt be. I dont just wanna pick a name out of the phone book, or go to a petstore for the classes, I'd rather have some reccomendations.
Any help would be appreciated.

[RealPitBull]

Have you looked on www.clickerteachers.net ?

Are you in Denver? How is the ban affecting you?

[Chloe]

Mar 6, 2009 12:17:57 GMT -5 RealPitBull said:

Have you looked on www.clickerteachers.net ?

Are you in Denver? How is the ban affecting you?

No, I havent looked on that site, I checked out all the other's that are posted here, thanks!

No, I'm not in Denver, I'm in Brighton. It's just easier to put Denver when looking for a specific thing since everybody know's Denver. If I would've put Brighton people would have had no idea where I was.
Thankfully Brighton does not have a ban...yet and hopefully they never will. We do drive through Denver to get to our hometown to visit friends and family. We have to be careful not to stop for anything there. As far as I know, your o.k. driving through a town or city with bsl with your dog as long as you dont stop.