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Maxy24 wrote: Also say you are training a dog to heel, people have a tendency to stop moving to give the treat which is really not the best thing, you are more rewarding the dog for stopping at the same time as you than you are for the dog walking with you.
Some fad - it's been around for over 50 years, although admittedly only really started to take off with the general public in the last 20.maximoo wrote:I think clicker training for dogs is just a fad.
Using a clicker depends on the dog and the circumstances.maximoo wrote: Personally I feel clickers are unnecessary and that praise, a pat on the head, mini belly rub, toy or treat sufficiently marks the desired behavior.
No offense but that is ridiculous. Dogs do not work to put a smile on someone's face, dogs do what is best for them. Often times you can teach a dog that a happy you means good things for them but in the end they are still trying to do what means good things for them, they could care less about making you proud in fact I doubt they know when you are proud or what proud is. A dog either works for a reward or to avoid a punishment. VERY few dogs will reliably work for a verbal reward or for petting, they usually get that frequently and it's not nearly as good as meeting another dog, running down the street, eating that food over there, stealing that sock, sniffing that poop etc. Again, dogs do what is best, eating things is better than a stroke from you. So unless you physically punish your dog (or have a very sensitive dog and use verbal punishment) I think toys or food need to be used to teach (but can be phased out so you only occasionally give them).A dog should do for you as you ask b/c it pleases you and he loves you
This is clicker training without a clicker. If you say yes at the exact moment a dog does the thing you want and you associate this word with a reward you are clicker training. The reason a clicker is better than a word is that words are used all the time and are inconsistent. You can say yes with a billion different fluctuations in your voice. You probably say yes to your dog often without thinking about it. Every time you say yes without rewarding your dog the word means less and less and eventually they stop paying attention to it, it is a word that means very little to them because it is said all the time with no effect on them.How about an enthusuastic "YES" when dog does something to please you
I know I am right not to stop and give treats when teaching my dogs to WALK ON A LOOSE LEAD, I don't do walking to heal, I don't compete so don't need it, I do need walking on a loose lead no matter how long or short the lead is. On a short lead my dogs are virtually walking to heal.maximoo wrote: Mattie, You are right not to stop and give treat when teaching to heel. However when you stop the dog should be taught automatic sit, & rewarded. (eventually phased out of course) In the beginning have the dog walk in a heel and every 10 steps or so the dog is commanded to sit. Praise & reward. Do it over & over in 10-15 mt sessions. The dog will have good manners.
Also, I believe hand signals should accompany commands. Always make sure the dog knows the voice command and hand signal independently.
I would dispute 5 years. I've been clicker training for over 10 and I was far from being in the vanguard of those who use it. In addition it came to the UK later than the US so we were lagging from the atart..maximoo wrote: Perhaps it has been introduced in dog training 20 yrs ago, however if it were so great why has it only become popular in the past 5 yrs or so.
I think that's what I like best about it.Cracker wrote:I am still learning and that is part of the fun and challenge for me..coming up with things I want Cracker to learn and then figuring out the best way to do so...it is a healthy challenge for her and for me.