Dispelling the Myths About Clicker Training

I have a myth (maybe?), someone dispel it for me. "Dogs that have been trained in any way other than pure clicker training shaping/capturing will never be truly 'clicker trained' dogs and won't know how to think creatively."

Myth: All trainers who use clicker training, follow a "positive only" philosophy.

False. Many trainers who use a clicker are balanced method trainers who incorporate all four quadrants of OC. Many also use social learning, leadership, direct communication, and classical conditioning in addition to clicker (marker) training.

Myth: If clicker training does not work with a specific dog, there is something "wrong" with the dog.

False. Not all methods work with all dogs, all of the time. Vague, unprovable, genetic "disorders" or a suspected lack of early socialization indicate a second opinion from someone with a larger tool box (which contains more than clicker training), should be sought before giving up on the dog.

 

Angelique

Myth: If clicker training does not work with a specific dog, there is something "wrong" with the dog.

False. Not all methods work with all dogs, all of the time. Vague, unprovable, genetic "disorders" or a suspected lack of early socialization indicate a second opinion from someone with a larger tool box (which contains more than clicker training), should be sought before giving up on the dog.

 

Amen to that one 

Angelique

Myth: If clicker training does not work with a specific dog, there is something "wrong" with the dog.

False. Unless a dog is so severly brain damaged it is incapable of learning, there is no animal (dog or not) that clicker work is not successful with. If clicker teaching (or a process that follows that method - noise click, vibration, light, etc as a marker) does not work with the dog, the person with the clicker is not approaching the situation correctly. It's whether or not the person with the clicker has the foundational knowledge to work with that animal. And if a dog (or any animal) is that brain damage, no method will work on that dog. Granted, there are certain behavioural disorders that a clicker in itself can't fix, specifically those that lie in the limbic system of dogs (fears, aggression, phobias, etc) in which case it does involve another level of work (habituation, counterconditioning, desensitization, etc). But most highly skilled teachers who use a clicker are also skilled in these techniques. A clicker is only EVER part of a toolbox. There is no person who uses a clicker that does not have other things that they use in working with animals.

 

Cita

"Dogs that have been trained in any way other than pure clicker training shaping/capturing will never be truly 'clicker trained' dogs and won't know how to think creatively."

False. It depends on the dog, and the work you put into helping that dog "learn to learn". There are many clicker taught dogs that do not know how to "offer" behaviours, that aside from having been taught with a clicker, they too only "perform" when asked to by their handler. Lure/reward teaching is one of those kinds. While it's a very valid way to learn, the dog does not have as much personal investment IN the learning as they do if they were shaped to do it. In shaping, the dog very much controls the learning, with little to no input from the handler except for marking the correct responses. It really causes the dog to "think" in a different way, rather than to just follow a lure movement or a hand forcing it into a certain position.

But that doesn't mean these dogs can't learn to learn. Of course they can! A dog that has been taught "not" to offer behaviours (via punishment or lack of reward for "creative actions";) will take time to learn what it is you expect of them. There are simple exercises one can do though to help that dog along though, such as targetting, to teach your dog. But I would love to stick my neck out there and say that all dogs CAN learn to be creative and offer behaviours, some will just take longer to learn than others, and I would even wager a hypothesis to say that dogs who are raised from the litter to be creative thinkers, will develop a different level of cognitive creativity then, say, a 5 year old dog that has just learned now. More of a developmental difference from how the brain actually wired itself as the puppy grew. Of course that hypothesis could be incorrect, but I've observed differences in dogs that were raised as "thinkers" vs dogs that learned to be "thinkers" after they reached adulthood.

well crud... I haven't given cliclker training a fair shake I thought  how on earth can I carry enough clickers to thro at the dog every time I want him to change a ...   oh wait   after reading the other responses maybe I'm supposed to "click" the clickers not throw  them  ??? Does that count as a myth???   

That clicker training involves depriving your dog.

 

False. Clicker training is about marking a completed behavior and predicting a reward. If you find that you have to wait longer to click, your intermediate goals are too long. Shorten them up and mark and reward for shorter, approximate behaviors. Also, asking a dog to do an obedience for a reward is not deprivation. It is a barter, earning by working. In the wild, the dog would have to work by hunting or scavenging. Treat training is an easier and more sure-fire way of earning more food, beyond what the dog is already fed.

 

Myth: Clicker trainers are "soft" or permissive

I know a few people who have this idea that people who clicker train are kind of hippy, new agey people who let their dogs run rampant, once in a while clicking for something the dog did that was actually GOOD.  The truth is most people who use clicker training do lean heavily on positive reinforcement and managing the environment to set the dog up for success.  This doesn't mean they "let the dog do what he likes" - they don't "let" the dog do those things in the first place.  Which makes them LESS permissive than other kinds of trainers who "let" the dog do something and then "correct" for it.

Chuffy

Myth: Clicker trainers are "soft" or permissive

I know a few people who have this idea that people who clicker train are kind of hippy, new agey people who let their dogs run rampant, once in a while clicking for something the dog did that was actually GOOD.  The truth is most people who use clicker training do lean heavily on positive reinforcement and managing the environment to set the dog up for success.  This doesn't mean they "let the dog do what he likes" - they don't "let" the dog do those things in the first place.  Which makes them LESS permissive than other kinds of trainers who "let" the dog do something and then "correct" for it.

This is a great one!

Myth: Clicker trained dogs require food forever in order to comply.

False. Firstly, food is only ONE reward used in clicker teaching. Secondly, food is quickly weaned away after a behaviour is well understood. True, some dogs will periodically "enjoy" having a treat given in return for particularly good behaviour. Think of it as the paycheque that even we humans work for, no matter how much we enjoy our jobs. But food quickly gives way to life rewards, and they known behaviours become a part of life and feel natural.

You could come to my home and I could ask my dogs to do all of their behaviours, without the use of any food reward. Heck, you could stay for days and watch me do so without any food rewards. Because food is only used DURING teaching (and sometimes you don't even use food during teaching!), and I choose to use it sporadically to upkeep good behaviour (the paycheque).

Bonita of Bwana

well crud... I haven't given cliclker training a fair shake I thought  how on earth can I carry enough clickers to thro at the dog every time I want him to change a ...   oh wait   after reading the other responses maybe I'm supposed to "click" the clickers not throw  them  ??? Does that count as a myth???   

 

LOL!  That goes along with the one that has people using the clicker like a remote control, pointing it at their dog and clicking to get the desired behavior ... heehee!

Chuffy

This doesn't mean they "let the dog do what he likes" - they don't "let" the dog do those things in the first place.  Which makes them LESS permissive than other kinds of trainers who "let" the dog do something and then "correct" for it.

 

Amen to that. In that, we see to it to try and set things up so that the dog doesn't fail. A good example of environmental structure is not leaving trash bags, etc, available for a dog to get into. A good recent example of structuring the environment for the dog's success was 4IC's work with B'Asia, creating a scenario where she taught herself by what yield more rewards, allowing other behaviors to lessen or extinguish. Once again, not all rewards are bits of drippy beef. Sometimes, the reward is peaceful inclusion in the group or pack, which does lead to continued and prosperous survival. I think that's why dogs are social animals in the first place.

Myth: you need a clicker to do "clicker training".

False. You can use any of a number of "markers" instead of a clicker.

Ixas_girl

one that has people using the clicker like a remote control, pointing it at their dog a

I've done that as a gag. We would be in Petsmart and Shadow is being a perfect gentleman and doing everything right and a person will, "I wish I could get my dog to do that."

And I will pull out my clicker and say "Well, I just use this remote control."

Some look at me serious and mystified.

Then I explain how I use it, etc.

Born a smart aleck and still going strong ...

 

mudpuppy

Myth: you need a clicker to do "clicker training".

False. You can use any of a number of "markers" instead of a clicker.

 

Alrighty...then....it's official.....I am a clicker trainer by snapping my fingers......that was easy.....lol