mixing training

    • Gold Top Dog

    mixing training

    *treads lightly among the debates*

    I am planning to take our new dog to obedience classes asap.  I have followed some of the links people have mentioned here and found some options locally.

    My daughter (10) really wants to try clicker-training.  She read "Clicking with Your Dog" and is pretty gung ho about it.

    Is it ok to do a regular obedience class and then clicker train?  Is it confusing for the dog or would it cause any problems?  Do I need to try to find a clicker obedience class?
     
    edit: oops wrong board!  going to post in training instead!
    • Gold Top Dog
    I would try to find a trainer who teaches some agility and obedience classes using the clicker. The APDT has a lot of trainers who excell at this method.
     
    If the dog is young, many trainers offer puppy classes for socialization with some clicker training.
     
    This would be a good experience for your daughter and the dog, and a lot of fun. I don't use a clicker myself, as I prefer to use my voice. But I do use treats to train basic commands and tricks.
     
    There are also a lot of good books and websites out there, too.
     
    [linkhttp://www.clickersolutions.com]www.clickersolutions.com[/link]
    [linkhttp://www.clickertraining.com]www.clickertraining.com[/link]
    [linkhttp://www.dogwise.com]www.dogwise.com[/link]
     
    I don't personally use a clicker and treats to resolve social and behavioral problems, but do recommend it as a form of training for those who think they might enjoy it.
     
    Good luck!
    • Gold Top Dog
    I would ask the local trainers if they use clickers in their obedience classes. There are plenty of beginner puppy classes that use clickers, and this way what you're doing in class is the same as what you're doing at home.