corvus:Can I still call it clicker training if I use a voice marker instead of a clicker?
It doesn't matter *what* you call it, Corvus. It's the principles that matter! :-) I have personally found that a clicker delivers a more consistent marker, but I do use a verbal marker if for some reason I don't have a clicker on hand.
corvus: Actually, talking about voice markers, can I pair a click with a voice marker?
Yep, you can. If you first teach that click = treat. And then you do verbal, then click, then treat, and then eventually just the verbal and treat (reward, doesn't have to be food). The verbal will take on a secondary (or teriary) reinforcement property.
corvus: I was sort of thinking maybe Penny would do better if I had her there while teaching the puppy. They could maybe learn off each other. Or if it's just getting too distracting I can split them up easily enough. I think I should be able to get my partner on board with the training, which will make life easier.
I'll tell you precisely what I do with my girls now that I live in a one bedroom apartment. I fully taught, and rebuilt their *place* cues, so that one cue each will go to their respective place until I tell them they are free to go. Then I call one away, work with the dog, and then send that dog back to place and call the other dog. It's really easy. And I do still intermittently throw the dog at its *place* a treat for being such a great player in the game. For me it's not to have one dog watch the other learn, but that in a small home it's impossible to keep them really separated anyhow so it's easier for me this way.
You don't *need* a clicker trainer to learn how to do it well. Just read, and share, and take videos if you can. Sharing videos and getting feedback, or just watching them yourself, can be of great help. But you can learn how to do it without going to a class. I used a clicker for two years before attending my first clicker class.
As for time? Well, because I have two adult, trained girls, I don't use the clicker as much as I once did. I work full time, and part time at another job. Then I have at least two hours in walks/jogs/outside time for the dogs. Then I have to eat, shower, shop, pay bills, and sleep in the rest of that time. So I understand all about time constratints. But I do tend to use it a few times per week, and I always take it on walks just to *capture the moment* if they do something really swell, like totally ignore some horrible slimy monster that appears. But I have found, from experience, that the clicker makes things so much faster, so much easier, and you don't have to have *classroom* style sessions. I just fit it in wherever I can, I rarely plan it out as a part of my day as though I have to teach from ___ to ____. Just do it as you see it, and keep the clicker (or your *verbal*) on hand for when you see your pup doing what you want!
I think the clicker philosophy WILL fit into your lifestyle well, if you wish to use it, precisely because you don't bring a lot of expectations with your pets. You live a much more laid back, naturalistic lifestyle, and don't seem to be a person who makes too many demands on your pets, just by reading. A lot of your time spent is just enjoying, spending time together, observing, and learning. In a lot of ways, you and I share a lot of beliefs on how to interact with animals overall (I have to send you pics of my new Lovie! I got some yesterday....). I don't think it would interfere with your lifestyle and how you live with dogs. For me, it made things a lot easier, when it came to teaching behaviours.