Clicker Training

[ChristyA]

We are taking Lulu to training at PetSmart. The instructor has taught for 10 years and I've heard through friends that have taken their pooches to her that she is great. We are learning clicker-training. Lulu seems to like it, but she will do anything for food so that helps. Has anyone else here used clicker training, and if so what are your thoughts?

I hope all that celebrate Thanksgiving ate tons of good food and gained that same 5lbs I did. :eek:

And for those that celebrate Christmas there will be 5 more lbs. coming along soon!:D

Happy Holidays to all!

Christy

[AlisonandMia]

I use clicker training - use it on just about everything (animals and humans) and it works great almost without exception. The exception would be husbands - don't even try it on husbands.....:rolleyes:;)

The dog loves it, so do the birds (they've learned to "play basketball"). I used it to teach the kids how to iron their clothes. It's a great alternative to saying, "No, don't do that! No, do it this way. No! No! No!" Even my nephew (aged 13) managed to learn to iron with clicker training and if you knew him you would know how amazing that is. Very good for teaching people non-verbal tasks. My best "students" to date however have been the fish which learned to put on their colorful display (usually at territorial thing) for food within a few minutes - you can't use a clicker for fish, you need another marker signal, but the principle is the same.

Alison

[Roxee's Dad]

I think I am going to try the clicker training on Rozee, she has lost alot of her hearing but can hear sharp noises and hand clapping. I have taught her to look at me when I clap, then to come when I tap on my leg.

So thanks for the good idea, :) my hands sometimes get sore from clapping. :(


I use clicker training - use it on just about everything (animals and humans) and it works great almost without exception. The exception would be husbands - don't even try it on husbands.....

That's because there are no rewards when we come to the sound of a clicker. It usually means a honeydo. :D

[mytil]

Hey Christy,

I used clicker training (am still using it with Cailey) and would recommend it. The hardest part was getting in sync with it - meaning clicking at the right time when she did her command. Also, you have to carry the clicker with you a lot. It eliminates all the chatter dogs usually ignore from us humans - they can easily tune out our voices if it gets too much.

Cailey was a rescue from the streets and had no training whatsoever (55 pound - approx 1 yr old) and strong as an ox. That was the only thing that worked for her as she completely ignored my voice at first but the sound of the clicker was perfect.

Oh and Alison is right, husbands just hide the clicker from you :rolleyes: And maybe it is a genetically engrained sound for honeydo as John mentioned :eek:

Let us know how it goes.
My best
Terry

[judymaggie]

I think I am going to try the clicker training on Rozee, she has lost alot of her hearing but can hear sharp noises and hand clapping. I have taught her to look at me when I clap, then to come when I tap on my leg.

So thanks for the good idea, :) my hands sometimes get sore from clapping.

I never tried clicker training with Maggie so can't offer any suggestions in that regard but wanted to suggest that you try some sign language with Roxee. No need to learn formal sign language -- just start using a hand signal for a task and then use the same hand signal each time for the same task. Maggie's hearing deteriorated quickly in her later years and the hand signals worked great!

[AlisonandMia]

John, I think you are talking about using the clicker as an attention getter rather than how it is used in clicker training? I believe Sue (Zoe) has had some success using a clicker in this way - but it is not how it is used in clicker training. In fact when a deaf dog is "clicker trained" a clicker is not used but some sort of visual signal is used instead - usually a flash-light. With clicker training, the clicker is used as a marker signal to tell the animal that whatever behavior it just did "worked" and a reward is coming and with a deaf dog the light serves the same purpose. It has the wonderful side effect of making the dog very visually attentive to humans - which must be essential if things are to work out at all, particularly with a young dog deaf from birth.

Can you recruit one of your younger dogs to help you and Rozee? Our dog Biddy went deaf at around the age of 14 1/2 yo (she lived till just after her 17th birthday). More or less by accident we trained Mia to be her "hearing ear dog" and it worked very well for all concerned. Basically there was no treats or scraps handed out until both dogs were present and correct so Mia almost instantly learned to go get Biddy whenever we called her (Biddy's) name. Biddy had been a working sheep dog so she was no stranger to hand and other visual signals from humans so she could surmise what we wanted her to do when she was close to us, but Mia worked very effectively as an aid to getting Biddy's attention. Whenever we said Biddy's name Mia would dance around in front of her in a certain way and Biddy learned that this meant she was to look at or come to us.

I think we and Biddy would have had a much harder time of it without Mia's "help". As it was Biddy's deafness was barely intruded once our clever little Mia had got everything organized.:D

Alison

[Roxee's Dad]

Hi Judy,
Actually I am somewhat fluent in american sign and taught my parents dog to be a hearing ear dog. Rozee is slowly learning sign. tap on my leg means come to me. I use the sign for eat to let her know I was getting her a treat. Now getting her to sit stay has been a bit of a challenge, luckily we have a fenced yard and no way for her to get out.

I guess the biggest problem is that I usually don't need to tell her anything. She knows when it's dinner time,:o she talks to me when it's time to play after dinner. :) and if I ignore her, she stamps her feet and makes all kinds of grumbling noises. :o It gets louder the longer I ignore her. :D She tells me when it's about bedtime.:o The only thing I need to do is get her attn when she is out in the yard and headed into a "not allowed area" . That's when I clap and if she looks at me, I tap my leg and she comes running. :) So the clicker may give my hands a break. :D

[Roxee's Dad]

John, I think you are talking about using the clicker as an attention getter rather than how it is used in clicker training? I believe Sue (Zoe) has had some success using a clicker in this way - but it is not how it is used in clicker training. In fact when a deaf dog is "clicker trained" a clicker is not used but some sort of visual signal is used instead - usually a flash-light. With clicker training, the clicker is used as a marker signal to tell the animal that whatever behavior it just did "worked" and a reward is coming and with a deaf dog the light serves the same purpose. It has the wonderful side effect of making the dog very visually attentive to humans - which must be essential if things are to work out at all, particularly with a young dog deaf from birth.

Can you recruit one of your younger dogs to help you and Rozee? Our dog Biddy went deaf at around the age of 14 1/2 yo (she lived till just after her 17th birthday). More or less by accident we trained Mia to be her "hearing ear dog" and it worked very well for all concerned. Basically there was no treats or scraps handed out until both dogs were present and correct so Mia almost instantly learned to go get Biddy whenever we called her (Biddy's) name. Biddy had been a working sheep dog so she was no stranger to hand and other visual signals from humans so she could surmise what we wanted her to do when she was close to us, but Mia worked very effectively as an aid to getting Biddy's attention. Whenever we said Biddy's name Mia would dance around in front of her in a certain way and Biddy learned that this meant she was to look at or come to us.

I think we and Biddy would have had a much harder time of it without Mia's "help". As it was Biddy's deafness was barely intruded once our clever little Mia had got everything organized.:D

Alison

Hi Alison,
It's funny you mention this. By pure accident and without any planning or training, LittleBit has become Mickee and Rozee's hearing ear dog. Rozee now rest or sleeps facing LittleBit and if LittleBit get's up because she hears something, Rozee is right on her heels to investigate wherever LittleBit is going. So if i want Rozee to come into the kitchen, I call LittleBit and Rozee is right on her heels. :D

Same goes for outside if Mickee or Rozee are close enough or paying attn to LittleBit. Ususally when out in the yard, Mickee and Rozee are out investigating on her own and that's when I need to get their attn.

That's why I feel LittleBit's unplanned arrival in our home has been a blessing. :D

Now a flashlight is a good idea, :) I'll have to test that to see if they can see it during the daylight hours. Thanks for that.:D

[AlisonandMia]

It sounds like you have a good basis to work on getting LittleBit to do what Mia would do, which was run right round the outside of the house and seek Biddy out (and even wake her up) and bring her to us. I did it simply by calling Biddy's name while brandishing tasty treats that would be shared between both dogs. We'd always done it this way with treats so all Mia had to do was work out she actually had to go get Biddy rather than wait for her to come when called.

If you haven't always done this (given out treats to both dogs together) you'd could start inside over small distances and then increase the distances until LittleBit will actually seek out Rozee for you and tell her to get herself to you so LittleBit can have her treat (enlightened self interest at work!;)). Does Lil'bit know Rozee's name?

Alison

[Roxee's Dad]

Hi Alison,
I'm not sure that LittleBit knows Rozee's name yet. She (LB) is somewhat submissive to Rozee and stays out of her way. If Rozee instigates a playtime, then LB is okay with it but LB is very hesitant to instigate any reaction from Rozee. When Rozee could hear both her and Roxee knew everyones name. That was cool because all Pattee would have to say is go get daddy or Mickey and they would run and do it. Roxee would jump up and pull my shorts down if I didn't pay attention to her. :eek::o:D

But yes, they all get their treats at the same time, problem is that Rozee and Mickee know when it's treat time and are usually at the right place at the right time. It's usually LB that I have to call so they can all have their treats.

Mickee is quite the senior and doesn't enjoy playing anymore and actually get's agitated when Rozee jumps on him to play. He tends to stay out of the way when Rozee, LB and I are playing on the floor.

So how do I teach LB, Rozee's name? It came naturally to R&R, mommy's in the kitchen or in the bedroom and they would go running to look for mommy. I tried that with LB but she looks at me and rolls over for a belly rub. :o:D

[AlisonandMia]

Teaching names is pretty easy. You get the dogs in front of you and say names and toss (or hand if need be) a treat to that dog and go round and round the whole crew repeatedly saying names and giving out treats. How long it takes for them to cotton on probably depends on how good the individual dog is at discriminating human speech sounds. Some are better than others and it seems to be breed related too (with breeds like the border collie being the best by far and hounds and terriers being not so good). Mia was pretty awful at discriminating speech sounds - I think it was all "yadda, yadda, yadda" to her - but she did pick up on other dogs' names very quickly. I think their brains and senses are at the optimum when food is in the offing!

(I think this is probably why hounds and terriers have a reputation for being hard to train - its not that they are hard to train it's just that they are not so good at picking up subtle differences in human speech sounds. Mia used to learn super fast with a visual signal (she wasn't stupid and she wasn't stubborn!) and then it would take weeks for her to link the verbal cue to the behavior and even then she was still tending to go on subtle (probably unconscious) visual hints. We actually just used mostly visual cues for her - it was easier for everyone. Zac (an ACD) is much, much quicker to pick up verbal cues (and getting better with practice) but far from being as good as a good BC)).

Alison

[Roxee's Dad]

So we started today. Nobody get's a treat until they are all here. I say Rozee's name first, repeat and then give her the treat, Then Mickee and finally Bitsee (LB). We'll have to see how long it takes for LB to learn Rozee's name, then to teach her to fetch Rozee :)

[Roxee's Dad]

Well good news... Bitsee has learned Rozee's name. When I say where's Rozee, she looks in her direction.

So how do I get her to fetch Rozee? I think she may be a little intimidated as Rozee has taken over the sole duty of Alpha amongst my 3 babies. She's not aggressive or mean, but she does let Bitsee know that this toy is hers and Bitsee does respect that.

The flashlight thing is starting to work, but only when it's dark outside. I started flashing the flashlight along with my hand signal to come in the house. So now she does come to the flashlight most of the time:o

ETA: Christy, sorry for the hijack but I did want to know how the clicker training is going with Lulu? Unfortunately, I'm still not clicker trained yet although Pattee did make cookies for the holidays and I could learn quickly.

[ChristyA]

No problem with the hijack, I'm learning from all of your questions too! We are doing pretty good with it. I need to devote a little more time to actually reinforcing it daily. Once the holidays are over I will have more time for training.

Merry Christmas,
Christy