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  • J M
    • Gold Top Dog

    Clicker questions

    J M

    Posted : 1/18/2007 9:38:55 PM

    I just recently started with a clicker.  The pom has down, sit, and finger touching  down thus far.

    So, my question is...sometimes, he gets the hand signals mixed up. 

    Do I proceed in the same click/treat fashion until he is bullet proof?

    Sometimes I make him go through all 3 commands before I c/t.  Is this acceptable protocol?

    Sometimes I can get him to do the commands with just hand signals.  No c/t. Is this acceptable?

    I don't want to remove a reinforcement too early and ruin my work.

    Also, if he doesn't get a hand signal right, I stop for a few moments (no c/t) and then start over with him.  Is this okay?

    Also Zeus is being a bit slow in this.  As he cared not for the clicker nor the treats most of the time. I have to catch him when he is hungry and he squints when I use the clicker.;-)   We are making good head way though.

    So my question is...is it okay to use the commands that he already knows to help him get the idea of what is going on?

    TIA to all who reply.

    And to those who spend 99.9% of their time pushing clicker training (bawahaa)..not only do I thank you, but my dogs thank you as well.
  • GreytPeke
    • Silver
    GreytPeke

    Posted : 1/20/2007 9:49:25 PM

    I'm no expert, but from the viewpoint of your dog, he probably thinks doing all commands in one fluid motion is a command in itself. A clicker is just saying, "Yeah, you did it right at *exactly* this moment, and wait, because your treat is coming!" When you treat after a series of commands, your dog is probably going to assume that this new series of commands is a new trick. I.e. It is no longer just Sit, but SitDownStay at once. This might be why he's confusing the hand signals. Also, your hand signals should be very distinct from each other and you should watch your movements. Sometimes, when a dog doesn't "listen", we use confusing gestures and end up confusing both dog and owner. An alternative would be to stop, take a couple breaths, and start again. So to answer your question, yes, that's perfectly okay. It's also okay to phase out the treats. That is, after all, your eventual goal. :)

    One last thing, only c/t for the commands you asked for and received. If you signaled for a sit, but your dog did a sit/down, don't c/t. Likewise, you could also c/t as soon as his bum hits the ground before he slides into a down, thereby preventing confusion. Hope this helps a little [:)]