Is it too late to try clicker training?

[JodieO]

Our puppy is 6 months old now and I've been thinking about trying clicker training; but would it be too late to start now? If not, does anyone have any advice on where/how to start? Good books on it or any tips?

She's a staffy cross shar pei and strong willed if that makes any difference.

Never too late - my old girl (12) has recently picked it up!!!

This is the clicker guru:

Karen Pryor

who used to train dolphins with whistles - it's exactly the same principle.

I would, however, recommend you get to a class if you can. A split second error in clicking can make all the difference initially: the puppy needs to learn what the clicker means (that a treat will follow) and if you get the timing of that basic step wrong then it will be very difficult.

Thank you, I'll see if there are any in the area but there isn't a hell of a lot around here

Clicker training is great. Our old and deaf terrier has been watching us train our pup and now she comes when she sees the clicker coming out! She can't hear it but she knows to pay attention.

I wish we'd done it with her 13.5 years ago.

lol @ abraid

Introductory clicker video

Never ever too late to try clicker training!

I don't think it is difficult and you will soon get the hang of it.

Basically start off by just clicking and then instantly giving your puppy a treat. Do this for a few days on and off. To get the timing right hold the treats in one hand and the clicker in the other.
click treat.

When you treat it is quite a good idea to throw the treat a short distance away from the dog so he will run to the treat and then is out of position so will have to think to sit to get the next treat.

Then there are two many ways to use the clicker one is freestyle or the other is to teach a specific behaviour.

Eg if you want the dog to sit you could lure him into the sitting position and then the second he is sitting click and then treat. So this shows the dog that the behaviour you want is the sit.

If you have not clicker trained before I would practice on your children! When they sit, click and treat! It gets your timing right before you confuse the pup. If you are practising clicking do not let the dog be in ear shot!

When you are teaching the dog a new behaviour it is important to not give the behaviour a name. Eg just click and treat the sit do not say the word sit for a few days. The dog is learning the behaviour first and then when the behaviour is solid they can learn the name for the behaviour eg sit.

Good luck

You will be amazed at how fast they learn with the clicker and things you can teach them in just a few minutes. Be careful though it is a bit addictive!

Perhaps a daft question: where can you buy a clicker?

You can get naff ones from the pet shops but these are fine and cheap!
clickers

To my stunned amazement I got our pup to sit within 24 hours of her coming home, using a clicker.

The one area we need more help with is not barking at horses and 4 x 4s and trying to 'stalk' them.

Really good command to teach puppies and one they pick up so easily is Watch Me.

Arm yourself with clicker and treats
1 with your dog by you call his name,when he looks right into your eyes,click-treat
2 gradually increase the length of the loving gaze before click treating!
3 when you can hold the eye contact add a command ie 'watch'
4 add distractions-roll a ball or throw a treat,ask the dog to watch you,and release to reward. This may have to be done on
lead at first to avoid any cheating!!!

Then when horses or 4x4 come on the scene give a watch me command. No barking (hopefully) as concentrating fully on you!

I'm going to try that today! THank you minimu.

Sorry I left this so long without thanking, really appreciate the advice given

just stumbled on this thread and feel reinvigorated to try it with my 5yo border collie (who is massively in need of some attention as DC2 is imminent)
thanks all - great advice minimu

Can I just ask, what's the advanatge of clicker training over 'normal' treat-based training? What am I missing?!!

Ok don't get me started. Clicker training is my passion so I would go and get a cup of tea and at least half a packet of hobnobs to keep you going through this massive post. I have been asked to discuss clicker training! Made my day!

Clicker training is a positive, reward based training method which relies on co-operation, consistency, repetition and positive reinforcement. There is no negative punishment or any sort.

Basically, there is no pain, fear, or stress in clicker training and best of all dogs respond quickly and with enthusiasm.

The main advantage of clicker training is that this method of training works both to the the pet 's and owner's advantage. By using rewards, dogs enjoy the training and look forward to it, whereas the owners will get their pet's attention putting them up for success.

It is in a dog's nature to associate actions with pleasant or unpleasant consequences. When clicker training a dog, these actions are recorded in the pet's mind as pleasant, and depending on the consequence, the pet may be more likely or unlikely to perform the action.

Enough of the essay as clicker training is purely positive reinforcement there is never a need to correct the dog you just click the expected behaviour so they learn very quickly. Also it is very easy to mark the behaviour with a click, quicker and more accurate than using a voice command.

If I pick up a clicker in my house all my dogs will run to me tail wagging and starta to perform their repetoire of tricks as they love to work with the clicker.

I am assuming by "normal" training methods you mean luring and giving a treat - well clicker training will speed up the training as soon as a behaviour is performed the click confirms to the dog the action was correct.

Give it a go and see what you can get your dog doing.
Empty the washing machine
fetch the phone when it rings
open and close doors
lift all legs in turn including back ones to have their feet dried
Bring their food bowl
Put toys away in toy box
ride a skateboard
to name but a few

Are you still hear told you you would need food probably know you need a large bar of chocolate!

PS I can go on about it a more if you like!

obviously excuse my worse than usual typing as Bella will tell you dogs are asleep having to type myself tonight.

The main advantage is that you can click exactly at the point at which the dog is doing what you want it to, whereas fishing a food treat out your pocket can take a little longer. By that time the dog may no longer be doing what you want, but will associate the treat with what it's doing at that (later) point, rather than the desired behaviour.

You do need to condition the clicker though - a clicker on its own is meaningless: the dog needs to learn first that a click usually signals that a food treat is coming straight after - that's where the importance of timing comes in. The Karen Pryor link should explain that.

Awesome x post, Minimu

Tis true - Minimu's dogs can type - all thanks to clicker training

Message withdrawn

Oooh - what are you getting, Luka?

Message withdrawn

That sounds great. Have been having a go this morning and the puppy can already load and unload the dishwasher - result!!

minimu
does he really fetch the phone?

how on earth do you begin to train him to do that

that is very cool

How do you get them to find things? It would be great if my pup could actually find my phone for me as I always leave it lying around and forget where.

Yes they do get the phone when it rings. You start off the same way for them finding anything. Break it down into little stages

1. Put object on the floor if the dog looks at it or moves towards it click and treat.

2.When they realise that it is the object that gets the click hold back on the click a bit until they touch the object (if a retriever they may miss out this bit and go straight to picking it up) click and treat. If they don't pick it up just delay the click and they will get a bit more urgent they may start to push the object of paw it. Do not click for pawing if you want them to carry the object. (however pawing is great for closing doors!)

1. Keep placing the object in obvious places and the dog will start to bring it to you each time click and treat.

1. Then add a name to the object eg phone and the dog will go and get the named object.

1. If you want to get the dog to get the ringing phone do above but only add the name when the phone is ringing. Then they should get the ringing phone not just randomly bring you the phone when they want a treat!

If your dog is clicker trained something like this will only take a few days to learn bbut if new to clicker training stay on each stage a little longer to consolidate the learning.

If they start to get things wrong more times than right go back to the previous stage. You are aiming for 98% correct behaviour.

Having said all of that my puppies are taught to "touch" with their noises and "Paw" touch with their paws from an early stage. Once they realise this gets rewards they are willing to try it the minute the see a clicker!

To get a touch command just hold our your hand to start with and when they go to sniff it click and treat. Then you can move onto holding something a plastic pringle lid is great for this. (shame about having to eat the pringles but needs must if you want a well trained dog )

Once they have the touch with the nose solidly learnt you can move onto the paw. Somedogs prefer one to the other interesting so work on their strengths.

If you see all the dancing dogs they have generally been taught a touch and a paw and the moves come from a mixture of these commands (and a few others of course) but if you can get them to touch you hand you can lure them to bow, stand on back legs weave through your legs etc very easily.

Sorry gone on a bit again.