Last Chance and I Gave Up.

Ah awesome videos. I liked that guy. I'm happy now haha! I'm going Petco in 15min so I'm going to look for a target stick thing.

That guy even had a little quickie on timid dogs too. And I think maybe trying to reassociate the clicker to good things might help. I'm thinking like a few clicks a day until he understands it again.

I guess seeing it as a silly pointless trick would put me in a more "carefree" mood. After trying to "charge" the clicker again, I'll use free-shaping to get him associated with the target stick. Unless that's too many methods for training.

And I always thought of free-shaping as being a drawn out, 5+ min training session. I mean, the videos I have seen were always around 5+min, so I kinda thought that's how it always was.

Were those rhetorical questions? Haha. I don't know if they were.

I understand what you are saying too. Although thinking of a nurse with blood freaks me out. Ha, I hate needles. Ew. Haha! But seriously, I do need to calm down. And you are right it seems about the "report card" thing that I'm doing. I keep putting his freaking breed first. Like I keep saying that he's a Poodle so he's supposed to be smart. But I need to look at him as an individual, like some have mentioned.

I am getting there though, slowly. I need waaay more help than Diesel does.

 He is smart, he just isn't motivated, yet. You'll get it! Do take the advice about relaxing, and teaching silly things. That really helps. I started Emma with the 101 things to do with a box. She'll "slap" the box, "push" the box, "in" the box, "out" the box, "take" the box, "give" the box, "up!" on the box, "off" of the box.... you get the point. We played with the stupid box for weeks, before we did anything else.

Rene.E2008

Were those rhetorical questions? Haha. I don't know if they were.

I understand what you are saying too. Although thinking of a nurse with blood freaks me out. Ha, I hate needles. Ew. Haha! But seriously, I do need to calm down. And you are right it seems about the "report card" thing that I'm doing. I keep putting his freaking breed first. Like I keep saying that he's a Poodle so he's supposed to be smart. But I need to look at him as an individual, like some have mentioned.

I am getting there though, slowly. I need waaay more help than Diesel does.

Nope not rhetorical at all, wait till you have wandered thru enough of the threads and posts... we dish on our lives and dreams all the time!

I was Great with Needles since I had been doing vaccinations since I was 15 in Central America but Blood whoa what a woozer that was for me, I just knew I was hurting folks. ( surprise not every one has my crummy veins!)

We ALL do the Report card.. , maybe with our first child, or at the first meet the parents, or the first Grown up job... , when your heart is invested it is so normal to get tough with yourself!.  And you have never seen a mentally challenged Poodle???  Maybe he was knocked in the head by his siblings?? Or dropped on his head by his momma??  Or maybe, just maybe putting YOU through your paces is so much fun for him he is having a wonderful time??  I met some Canadians recently at a wine tasting and when they found out we were "in dogs" they proudly told me how smart their boy was, he had trained them in less than 30 days....

"Perception"     our new friend,  Perception.

Bonita of Bwana

Bonita of Bwana

for instance "fetch" is a disaster waiting to happen for about 95% of RR owners

You should try fetch with a Husky. This is how Husky fetch goes. Throw the object. Husky runs and picks up object. Husky runs around yard at approximately 30 mph if it's casual fetch, faster if serious. Then you chase. Finally, Husky comes back to you to play tug with said object. The only way I could train Shadow to fetch and retrieve was to use the clicker. Then, he had a reason to play human fetch.

Without the marker training, I think most Husky games involve lots of running at breakneck speed.

Jah! I cooked some scramble eggs and kept like three little peices for Diesel. I took the clicker out and I am going to begin "charging" it after I associate the looks with good things, not the sound.

So for about 30 seconds, max, I had Diesel look at it and get a peice of egg. And then, calmly, put the clicker away and left him to eat the last bit. He looked like he was about to slow down and shut off, so I ended it with that last peice. I think I now know how far I can go. :D

I think Diesel's putting me through this, since you bring it up, haha! It would make so much sense. He's getting back at me for me making him looking like a fool 24/7. Makes so much sense! Although, I do wish he was mentally challenged, it'd make things so much easier for me.... I think.

It is easier to have a less than brilliant dog. They don't think, as much, and don't push as hard. I have one of each. The super smart dog is constantly thinking. She is literally impossible to contain. She opens crates, doors, climbs things to get what she wants. She works beautifully, and dynamically, for me, as long as I'm working equally as hard to hold onto her attention and motivate her. The not as swift dog is a bit ditzy. She's sweeter, and much, much more willing to please. She operates more on a "this moment" basis, so a little food or praise goes a long way. She also works beautifull, and dynamically. She looks great, out there, and she doesn't make me work for it.

jennie_c_d

It is easier to have a less than brilliant dog. They don't think, as much, and don't push as hard. I have one of each. The super smart dog is constantly thinking. She is literally impossible to contain. She opens crates, doors, climbs things to get what she wants. She works beautifully, and dynamically, for me, as long as I'm working equally as hard to hold onto her attention and motivate her. The not as swift dog is a bit ditzy. She's sweeter, and much, much more willing to please. She operates more on a "this moment" basis, so a little food or praise goes a long way. She also works beautifull, and dynamically. She looks great, out there, and she doesn't make me work for it.

I guess that's why I'm kinda fond of hounds, I heard they were "slower."

And I always thought of free-shaping as being a drawn out, 5+ min training session. I mean, the videos I have seen were always around 5+min, so I kinda thought that's how it always was.

a very motivated, experienced clicker-dog can certainly do longer sessions. Free-shaping is  mentally exhausting and can be frustrating to inhibited beginner dogs though.

When I am "charging" the clicker with a new dog, I just rapid fire click-treat.  The dog doesn't have to do anything at all.  If i have a sound shy dog, I put the clicker in my pocket and click in there - that muffles the sound a little.  If I had a VERY sound shy dog I would purchase a different clicker with a softer sound - I think there is an I-Click especially for these kinds of dogs, there is also a clicker plus that makes a variety of sunds other than clicks. 

If Diesel is sound shy I don't think treating him for looking at the clicker is likely to have much impact - as soon as he hears the noise he will be back to square one.  I think you would be better off looking at a different sound altogether that is less jarring for him.

Chuffy

When I am "charging" the clicker with a new dog, I just rapid fire click-treat.  The dog doesn't have to do anything at all.  If i have a sound shy dog, I put the clicker in my pocket and click in there - that muffles the sound a little.  If I had a VERY sound shy dog I would purchase a different clicker with a softer sound - I think there is an I-Click especially for these kinds of dogs, there is also a clicker plus that makes a variety of sunds other than clicks. 

If Diesel is sound shy I don't think treating him for looking at the clicker is likely to have much impact - as soon as he hears the noise he will be back to square one.  I think you would be better off looking at a different sound altogether that is less jarring for him.

I don't honestly know if he is afraid of the clicker, since now, the same signs are shown even when the clicker is not around.

Rene.E2008

Chuffy

When I am "charging" the clicker with a new dog, I just rapid fire click-treat.  The dog doesn't have to do anything at all.  If i have a sound shy dog, I put the clicker in my pocket and click in there - that muffles the sound a little.  If I had a VERY sound shy dog I would purchase a different clicker with a softer sound - I think there is an I-Click especially for these kinds of dogs, there is also a clicker plus that makes a variety of sunds other than clicks. 

If Diesel is sound shy I don't think treating him for looking at the clicker is likely to have much impact - as soon as he hears the noise he will be back to square one.  I think you would be better off looking at a different sound altogether that is less jarring for him.

I did the treating for looking at the clicker to kinda associate the look with food, then I was going to put it in a winter sock and treat him for looking/dealing with the sock then working from there with clicking in the sock and treating.

I don't honestly know if he is afraid of the clicker, since now, the same signs are shown even when the clicker is not around.

I admit to being a bit confused.  And if *I* am confused.... I can't help but wonder what the dog thinks!

The dog need not even see the clicker during training.  I tend to keep it in my pocket anyway, so I don't drop it as I'm trying to juggle leads/treats/target sticks/etc.

I think it is the training itself he is responding to - NOT the clicker.  STOP training him.  Just rapid fire click-treat, several times and repeat throughout the day.  He doesn't have to do ANYTHING at all.  I suspect you're making training and/or the clicker into an issue where it need not be one and he is picking up on it.