I think treat training is cruel. - Page 12

For any history buffs, here's some information on the bridging stimulus.  I have several old textbooks from school.  Not sure if Karen Pryors name was mentioned, but I own several books she authored.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clicker_training

http://www.clickersolutions.com/interviews/bailey.htm

Joan ro FYI any idiot understands marker training.

Hans

Can you use permanent markers, or does it need to be dry erase in case of mistakes?

Vito, only Magic Markers if you want it to work.

And any 'idiot' understands what cruelty actually is. Any idiot understands that giving food reward is not cruel.

Ok, I‘m back.
I see you missed me Prager, since you re-posted my comments again.

I want to clear up what a „marker“ is in its most basic element. It helps for us to be on the same page. And, many don‘t have a clear idea of what it is.

A marker is a teaching tool - not a reinforcement.

A marker is good for teaching NEW behaviors.

1.) A Marker is nothing else but a MARK IN TIME. No more, no less.  

2.) The dog first has to recognize the mark that you want to use....no matter what it is...a click, or a word.

3.) To get him to recognize the marker, the dog first has to learn that when he hears this marker, something good will happen.

4.) When a dog is doing a behavior that you want , like sit, you mark it within a MILLISECOND of his butt hitting the floor, with your marker of choice...for example by saying „YES“, or by pressing the clicker.

5.) A dog will quickly realize that when he repeats that EXACT behavior, the marker will sound again...and he gets something good.

(a „ positive reinforcer“ because I am GIVING (adding=positive) and „reinforcer“ is anything done to increase the chance of this behavior happening again)
 
6.) you start pairing the reinforcer with Praise as a secondary reinforcer (primary reinforcer is the treat)

7.) You start pairing the behavior with a cue, like „sit“.

8.) Soon through a type of operant conditioning the word „sit“ gives the dog a good feeling, because something good comes...like praise.

The marker is a very efficient tool to show the dog:

THE BEHAVIOR HE IS DOING, IN MOMENT OF TIME, IS GOOD!

And if he repeats it, good things will come.

The good things are whatever he gravitates toward. Food works good for puppies...but ALWAYS let the dog tell you want is most important to him...could be anything on this green earth, but the dog has to want it.

So marker training is efficient communication with your dog:
-without stress
-without pressur
-with joy

Compulsion is not often needed with marker training, because the dog wants what you are going to give him.

 Mark the millisecond of desired Behavior ➡️ Reinforcement ➡️ Operant Learning

Compulsion is another topic for another time.
As is Positive / negative punishment and positive / negative reinforcement ... a topic for another time.
 

Here is why marker training is so efficient:

If I teach my dog the „sit“, but mark the behavior in the exact moment the dog is already starting to stand up...the dog will see the „standing up part“ as the desired behavior.
Not the „sitting my butt down“ part.

And if they get the wrong idea, it is hard to re-correct again.

So you can teach the dog, the smallest of nuanced of movements, even eye-rolling, with marker training.

This is why timing is so Crucial and where most people fail. You need that „plan“ of „what am I going to teach my dog  EXACTLY“. Not aproximately...but EXACTLY. Dog are masters of the meaning of ‚literally‘.

 

 

ADD:
And again...I have to add marker training is a TOOL, among many other tools. I have to add this, because as per usual, someone just might argue that point, and over generalize once again.

So what do you do when the clicker trained dog does not respond to your command?

@JJ LOL Yes I missed you. :) Even though you sometimes go to the dark side of being disrespectful you have the best opposing arguments. Of course, I still think that the methods used in marker training are ancient. But I repeat the question:

So what do you do when the clicker trained dog does not respond to your command?

Let me clarify my question: When I train the dog I divide the training of my communication with a dog into these stages.
1/learning
2/conditioning
3/practicing and reinforcing
4/ practical use of learned training.
So the question is. You are in stage 3/ or better yet 4/ and dog does not listen because it is distracted? What do you do?