How do i clicker Train

Hi everyone, my 1st proper post!! Be gentle with me

I have just read the thread about clicker training, and would like to try it with my new pup , Braney, who arrives on saturday! 17 week old lab/gsd - just gorgeous!

The article doesn't explain how to do it, and as I trained my last dog many years ago, I have no experience of this clicker training

Can anyone enlighten me please

Thanks

sioux & Barney
xx

Hi and welcome to Dogsey, nice to have you on board.

I have know experience of clicker training, but hopefully someone will come along with some advise soon x

there are some excellent resources on the 'net - well worth a quick look before you start. There are also some books - good bedtime reading Are we allowed to list them on here, or should I PM?
You might well find there are puppy clicker classes in your area, which will give you confidence and provide an excellent socialisation opportunity.

thandi

Hi siouxb as Thandi says there are many books on clicker training including those by Karen Pryor which you can order from 'Amazon'.

Personally I think few people can explain clicker training better than one of our own members, Alison

There are a few pointers I can give you (i can use it well, but teaching it is different!)

When starting to teach the dog what a click 'means' it will take a few days. You will need to ramdonly click and treat, click and treat. Rule number 1: whenever you click you treat, never click without rewarding afterwards.

Rule 2. Never click something more than once, if you are very happy with the performance or trick click then treat and treat again, but ONLY one click!

After a few days of random clicking then treating, you should notice that when you click from a distance (and the dog is not watching) you get a reaction (dog will probably seek out the treat) this is when you are ready to start training!!

Start out with something easy, like 'paw' and click-treat the moment the dog responds. Timing is the most crucial thing, it's the moment in time when you have caught the dog doing something right. the treat comes afterwards of course, but it is the moment the clicker is clicked that is the important bit for the dog.

There are loads of book available for you, with ideas on how to shape tricks into complicated mavoureves. You can use it outside too, for a recall (call the dog and the moment you see a response, even from far off, click-treat).

Over the next few days just try to get your dog to understand the click treat, you can ask for tricks he already knows and click that, but it will take time for him to understand that the click means it's the right time, and for him to understand a treat is following.

Best of luck, and have lots of fun!!

Thanks Jess, that sounds simple enough. Now I need another trip to the pet shop to buy a clicker!!

Sioux

In Pets at home you can possibly still buy a clicker with a bookelt by Sarah Whitehead, that's a very good start

Also try www.apdt.co.uk for a clicker trainer near you - it's best to see it in action

Goood books:

Clicker training for dogs - Karen Pryor

Clicker training for Obedience - Spector
Click for Joy - Alexander

Last 2 are for really getting deeply into it if you get the "bug"

dvd or video - The Motivation Movie by Jo Hill

See also sites such as Clickersolutions for info.

I charge the clicker differently to Jess - I sit with the dog and high value treats, and literally click and treat ... often after a bit of this, you can let the dog wander the room, then click, and if you see him respond by looking/glancing/coming to you etc you will know he has the idea that click = treat.

Then you can start to train.

I use a mix of lure and reward with clicker, or you can sometimes use pure "shaping" which is interesting and grewat fun and really tires out the dog!!

"I charge the clicker differently to Jess - I sit with the dog and high value treats, and literally click and treat ... often after a bit of this, you can let the dog wander the room, then click, and if you see him respond by looking/glancing/coming to you etc you will know he has the idea that click = treat."

I think that's pretty much what I said I do

Remember that the treats should be tiny when starting to train too, so that you can go for a session (20 mins or so) without filling up the dog (you want his full attention!)

Oh dear,

It seems I need my glasses on, I have just posted about clicker training! lol

Well I am reading about clicker training too, I have bought a book, it seems good so far it is:

Clicker Training for Dogs

:Karen Pryor

:Ringpress

It is informative, although it does contredict with another book I read, (lent it to my friend so dont have the details at the minute.)

I will keep you all updated how my clicker training with my puppy Jess goes!

Hi all, just a quick question once a dog is trained with a clicker, does this mean you have to have a clicker for life?
The reason i ask is that where i live I have seen people with dogs that are clicker trained that take no notice of the owner because they left the clicker at home, also if one person clicks all the dogs take notice. Which is not what you want.