*sigh* Help, flagging clicker motivation

• 05-12-2008 11:25 PM

  In reply to FourIsCompany

  spiritdogs Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 10,138 Points 735

  Re: *sigh* Help, flagging clicker motivation Reply Contact FourIsCompany: spiritdogs: Also, I train all my pups separately - just do five minutes with each dog in a separate room, or train with one dog per night.    You know, I'm too lazy to separate them all out, so I started calling one's name (Cara) and then doing a few click/treats with her, than I call Mia's name and do a few with her, then B'asia... You get the idea. They caught on right away. So, as I used to think it's impossible to clicker train with more than one dog in the room, I now know that it's not! My four sit around and wait for their turn. spiritdogs: Picture a big huge truck.........  LOL But then the question arises, May we back the truck up? Sometimes it feels like Jaia is going to bowl me over! LOL   You are quite correct that you can train dogs together, and the dogs do pick up which C/T is for them.  In fact, in large group classes, all the dogs seem to know and are able to pick their own owner's click out of the jumble.  But, some people have dogs that aren't as quick to pick it up. Or, they can't manage if one of their dogs gets a bit hyper while the other dog is getting treats in rapid succession.  So, the usual advice with multiple dog households is to instruct people to train the dogs separately.  And, despite the fact that we herding dog owners like to elaborate on our dogs' brilliance, some dogs provide more of a challenge in a group than the average person wants.  Try clicker training a few really food obsessed hounds together, and you'll get what I mean LOL.    Regional Director for Massachusetts, International Positive Dog Training Association Director, SeniorCare Pawsitive Connections Program AKC CGC Evaluator #3669 Therapy Dogs, Inc. Tester/Observer Sioux, CGC, TDInc. Maska, CGC, TDInc. Sequoyah, CGC Fergie, Retired Lap Dog, Age 19 Dancer, CGC, TDInc. (1989-2006) #1 Heart Dog "If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them and what you do not know, you will fear. What one fears, one destroys." - Chief Dan George "The fidelity of a dog is a precious gift demanding no less binding moral responsibilities than the friendship of a human being. The bond with a true dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth can ever be." ~ Konrad Lorenz

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• 05-13-2008 9:15 AM

  In reply to spiritdogs

  mudpuppy Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 5,497 Points 100

  Re: *sigh* Help, flagging clicker motivation Reply Contact I only use the clicker for teaching brand-new behaviors. So you have your puppy, and presumably you want the puppy to learn basic manners and a few commands?  a minute a day with isolated puppy + clicker will get your dog trained much faster than any other method. Once the pup learns the behavior you don't need the precision of the clicker and it's fine to switch to verbal praise; you don't even need a formal verbal marker.

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• 05-17-2008 3:57 PM

  In reply to corvus

  Chuffy Joined on 12-17-2006 UK Posts 5,510 Points 10

  Re: *sigh* Help, flagging clicker motivation Reply Contact corvus: I certainly believe in all it's advantages, but I'm having a moment of "who can be bothered?". I guess with working full-time and an hour commute each way, and factor in trips to the gym and all the rest, I'm discovering that there are not many hours in the day to spend with my animals, and those hours I really just want to watch them be them and love on them and play with them and take it easy.   "play with them"?  Clicker training should be a game.  It should be fun for both of you.  The times my own animals have just done something totally cute and unexpected and made me laugh out loud.  You want to just let them be them?  Try the box game.  Just watch them "be themselves" - watch them discover this new object and interact with it... all you have to do is CT occasionally.  You don't even have to have a goal in mind.  You might train most things as you go, but if ever you want to use the click for a specific purpose, it's there and primed and ready to go, and KT understands the rules of the "game". Do you ever just chill out together while you watch TV?  What do you do during the adverts?   THAT'S the best way to clicker train.  Short and sweet, that's the ticket "Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life." (Pratchett, Jingo) "I used to look at [my dog] Smokey and think, 'If you were a little smarter you could tell me what you were thinking,' and he'd look at me like he was saying, 'If you were a little smarter, I wouldn't have to.'" - Fred Jungclaus

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• 05-19-2008 4:52 AM

  In reply to Chuffy

  corvus Joined on 08-01-2006 Australia (NSW) Posts 2,150 Points 80

  Re: *sigh* Help, flagging clicker motivation Reply Contact Haha, Chuffy, I avoid commercial television at all costs! At least until we get Foxtel. But no, I see your point. I'll just have to get used to having the clicker and the treats handy. I've got the whole of next week to train myself to carry clicker and treats around the house with me!  Melissa's family: Penny - corgi, Kit - wild hare, Bonnie - rabbit, Kivi Tarro - Finnish Lapphund "She's always talking about her hare."

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• 05-19-2008 7:58 AM

  In reply to corvus

  Kim_MacMillan Joined on 11-21-2006 Eastern Canada Posts 1,105 Points 200

  Re: *sigh* Help, flagging clicker motivation Reply Contact corvus: I've got the whole of next week to train myself to carry clicker and treats around the house with me!  You could, for the next week, instead of carrying aroud dog treats, carry around some of your own favorite bite-size candies, and everytime you think to use the clicker, or realize you have it on you, click and give yourself a treat!

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• 05-19-2008 10:51 AM

  In reply to Kim_MacMillan

  mudpuppy Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 5,497 Points 100

  Re: *sigh* Help, flagging clicker motivation Reply Contact corvus: I certainly believe in all it's advantages, but I'm having a moment of "who can be bothered?". I guess with working full-time and an hour commute each way, and factor in trips to the gym and all the rest, I'm discovering that there are not many hours in the day to spend with my animals, and those hours I really just want to watch them be them and love on them and play with them and take it easy.     "play with them"?  Clicker training should be a game.  It should be fun for both of you.  exactly. You seem to be thinking in terms of "training= unpleasant chore". Instead training should be the funniest thing you do with your dog- a real bonding experience, a game from beginning to end, something that is the highlight of you and your dogs' life.

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• 05-19-2008 11:19 AM

  In reply to corvus

  FourIsCompany Joined on 07-30-2007 Posts 4,738 Points 1,135

  Re: *sigh* Help, flagging clicker motivation Reply Contact corvus: I'll just have to get used to having the clicker and the treats handy.   I keep some treats cut up in the fridge (NB Food roll) in a plastic container and a clicker in the drawer by the frig. So, when I'm cooking, I call a dog and do a little impromptu training session. It takes 2 seconds. I'm standing right there by the stove anyway. I might as well be doing something useful. Of course, I had to teach them "out" because every time I started cooking, they all showed up for "class". lstm.   LSTM (Laughing Silently to Myself) Click Daily to Give Free Food and Care to Animals: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3

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