Clicker training for obedience ? - Page 1

Can i have some opinions on clicker training, and how effective is it, or does it not suit you ! let me know i would like to hear from you .

Why use a gimic when your voice will do just fine if you use it correctly? The first step is getting the dog to pay attention to YOU. There are several ways to do that. Then, depending on whether your dog likes a toy or food for reward (and better yet if they like both) once begins with some very basic, very short sessions. Personally, I often begin with food when the dog is very hungry and then after I have taught the dog to pay attention, begin on sits, downs, and healing. I wait until the dog is older to do this, but if done correctly and carefully, it can be done when the dog is younger. It is most important that whatever reward is given be given in a time frame that the dog can associate his/her actions with the reward. This generally means immediately (or within a second or so). I have seen a lot of clicker training and in my opinion, it is not necessary. But, to each his/her own! Good luck.

I do use a clicker with all my puppies...... sorry it's not a gimick, but a training tool. The clicker is always going to be a neutral sounding (no emotion) indicator (also called a conditioned reinforcer) to the dog that they are doing the right thing.. your reward (treat) must come within 3 seconds of the click for it to have meaning for the behavior you wanted to reward. Since timing is usually an issue with a lot of people, it is the clicker that helps this.. not that you might not have timing issues with the clicker as well.. but the clicker paired with shaping behaviors as opposed to luring or manipulating has been a proven method to teach a dog how to figure things out and enjoy learning.. the rate of reinforcment must be very high (hundreds of click/treat repetitions.. Shaping is merely building a behavior with small approximations of that behvior so it is broken down into very manageable skills that can be built upon to create complete exercises or whatever you want to call them. Our voices work also but we cannot ever take all the emotion out of them and it is the negative that is the killer.. and youdo use your voice afterwards but the clicker marks that precise moment You then have a puppy that starts to offer you behaviors that it has already learned in an effort to figure out what will get it the treat!! How much fun do you think that is?? give you a whole new perspective of your dog! I start pups as young as 8 weeks and can have them sitting and doing a platz and all kinds of silly fun games with a clicker.. and they have so much fun.... There are many websites and books on clicker training.. worth a look since in my eyes dog training is an ever evolving activity and the dog that loves to be with you and have fun is what its's all about!

DKIAH -- very nice response -- i utilize clicker almost entirely for all canine interactions -- and as an added response this is what i tried to explain in a prevoues thread -- with clicker training i do not train attention as hodie thinks conceptually -- this is waht i mean that i condition my dogs to be attentive to me --- they are looking to push my buttons for the interaction , the permission , they act in synergy to get the reward -- that is to say the responsibility is place upon the dog -- i do not initiate the attention they are in synergy with me - DKIAH i know you understand the differential if you clicker train hope other s can understand the concept i so awkwardly explained