CLICKER TRAINING! Question...

[kt_luvs_kitties]

What exactly is clicker training? I know about the clicker, but what can you teach with the clicker? Anyone know of a website or book that I can get to learn more about it? Thank you in advance! Kt and pups

[Giselle]

Clicker is just a behavior marker. A click means "you did it right; hold on, a treat is coming". That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. A verbal "yes!" works the same way as a clicker.

The beauty of clicker training, however, is that it is a consistent marker that you can dole out as quickly or as slowly as the dog performs for you. Once the dog understands what the clicker means, the dog begins offering you behaviors. Thus, you can use the clicker to easily shape new behaviors. The clicker compels the dog to really THINK and problem solve. Once you know how and when to use it, you can use it to teach anything from basic obedience to advanced agility skills to curbing aggression.

Books to read: anything by Karen Pryor.
Links:
http://www.clickersolutions.com/
http://www.clickertraining.com/

Short videos you can buy:
http://www.clickertraining.tv/

[kt_luvs_kitties]

Thank you Giselle.

Even though Joey knows a few tricks, I want him to learn more and since he is having a very hard problem learning stay and drop it, I thought maybe a clicker would make him focus more. He is very hyper, and can not concentrate for longer than 1 minute!

Maybe we will try one and see if that helps.

[Freedom]

Excellent description!

Kate, have you considered an obedience class? I have taken Marlin, Sugar and Lacey, first time in my life I took a dog to classes. I was amazed at how much I learned! Now I'm "sold" on a class. The dog gets socialization time, and the owner learns HOW to interact with the dog, great stuff!

[Giselle]

Part of teaching stay is teaching a calmer state of mind.

A dog cannot stay for an extended amount of time if s/he's mentally bouncing off the walls. So to teach an extended stay, you should be doing it frequently and in a very quiet area with low distractions. You really just have to start with baby steps. Every time Joey gets up, just step forward into him and repeat until he starts getting some self-control. You might have to do this 20 times the first day. But the second day, you'll only be doing it 5 times. The third day, you'll only have to do it once, etc. etc.

But, yes, a clicker could definitely help! A clicker is so wonderful because it's crystal clear to both human and dog, and I certainly think it facilitates more efficient human-dog-communication.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

Thank you for the advice. I do take him into a spare bedroom, I tell him "school" and then we start training. He gets SO excited about the treats, that he jumps around and does not listen to my words, he just goes from one trick to the next, to get the treat

Sandie, I did sign him up for training, but then I backed out because they did not do any "small dog only" training, and I know Joey would not do well with huge dogs everywhere. He would not be able to think straight...

But I am going to look into a private trainer, one on one, but they are VERY pricey. So we will see