Clicker training

stez1234

stez1234

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Hiya,

First question of many to come!!

How long should our clicker training session be and how often?

I am guessing every day but can I do a couple or more a day at say 20 mins a time? Or should I be doing more than this?

Thanks!
A xxxx
 
I do a 10min session morning and evening and I wouldnt worry if you are only doing 5mins sessions.

Even if you are sat watching tv with a bag of treats and clicker and getting her to look/watch me and trying to get her looking longer if that makes sense.I call my dogs name point at my eyes and say look at me and that is a good way of instilling attention in your dog.

Is there anything specific you are trying to teach her to do?
 
We Only re started last night so it's early days!

I think the first thing would be down. She can do sit but gets to excited when I bring the treat down to try and get her to lie down!!
 
Depends what you are doing and how long you have been training.

If I am shaping with Abe it will be probably a 10 or 15 minute session but if we are luring or targeting a new.trick it will be just a couple of minutes.
 
When starting I just throw a load of food on the floor and click every time the dog gets to a nut, so food = click to prime the behaviour.
This can be a couple of sessions just to get the dog used to it.

As Lexi says, in the beginning, click pretty much any good behaviour.
I still click and reward my seven month old if he is out on a walk and turns and comes back to me, etc, even if I haven't asked him, so returning to me = good = food.

You might want to invest in a cheap gillet, fishing or camera jacket to throw on so that you always have a bit of food in your pockets.

As mentioned, don't lure her with the food - she only gets the food when she has done something you want her to.

If you've clicked, even by accident, ALWAYS feed, if you don't, you will break the trust.
 
At this stage, just focus on training her that click means food and all you really want is for her to be listening to you, rather than rushing ahead with tricks and commands, that will come x
 
Stez,
Have you 'primed' the clicker? In other words, does your dog understand what the clicker/click means...ie you've got it right....here comes a reward.

I prime it by throwing cubes of sausage/cheese on the floor and clicking as pup/dog picks them up. One of the earliest/easiest exercises to reinforce this is to smear cream cheese or pate on the back of my hand. I hold the hand out, dog comes and licks hand and I click. I then move hand to a new location, dog follows and I repeat.....continue ad nauseum. You then have the start of a visual cue for recall!

If you are in Coventry, google Marie Miller....she does clicker and is a good trainer near Aldermans Green.

If you can travel, try Kay Laurence/Helen Phillips at Learning about Dogs. http://www.learningaboutdogs.com/

Alternatively, if you want someone to come to your home for clicker and is APDT try kizkiznobite! http://www.kizkiznobite.co.uk/

I personally know all of these and can recommend them.
 
Hiya,

We have done a couple of priming sessions. Last night and today. She gets the idea of the clicker. So much so that she can be at the bottom of the garden and if I click in the kitchen she will come racing back and sit at my feet.

This is a massive improvement since the last time we tried!! I think using cheese has really helped this!!

I am going to give the trainer you recommended a call tomorrow as there are a couple of things that I am defiantly going to need help with.

Thank you so much for your replys.

A xxx
 
Sounds like it's going really well already!

Like others on this thread I have a little pouch bag full of treats and click anything I like. I usually keep the bag for the first two year's of a dog's life.
 
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