| Using the Clicker Correctly
The clicker is a tool. It's not
a magic box. It's not a gimmick. Used correctly it
enables you to do something that other training methods
struggled with: communicate exactly what behavior
is desired. The clicker is for teaching mew behaviors.
Once the dog is freely offering the desired behavior,
it's time to fade the clicker and put the reinforcements
on a variable schedule.
Think of the clicker as a camera.
You want to take a picture of the action that you
want repeated. Remember, it's the action that you
want to capture, not the end result. For example,
to capture the sit, click as the dog lowers his haunches,
not after his butt is on the ground.
The click means three things:
-
You just did something
I like. Click and treat any time the dog is doing
something you like. Reinforced behavior occurs
more frequently.
-
The behavior is over.
The click ends the behavior. If the dog jumps
up from the sit immediately after you click, that's
okay. Duration is a criteria you can add later.
-
A reinforcement is coming.
Always reinforce the dog after clicking. Even
if you click accidentally or at the wrong time,
reinforce.
Ways NOT to use the clicker:
-
Don't use the clicker
as an attention-getting device or to cue your
dog to come to you. Know what? It works. But once
your dog understands the real meaning of the click,
you'll be reinforcing undesired behavior such
as ignoring you or barking at passers-by.
-
Don't use the clicker
solely as a praise marker. Timing counts. Yes,
your dog will eventually figure out what you want
in spite of your bad timing, but he'll learn MUCH
faster if he can count on it to mark behavior.
Don't
use the clicker as a Keep Going Signal. The click
always ends the behavior. If you are teaching a multi-part
behavior such as a retrieve or the dog walk in Agility,
and you want to indicate that one part was correct
without ending the behavior, simply substitute a word
like "Good" in place of the click.
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This article
was reproduced on www.SouthWestk9Services.com
with the permission of the author Melissa Alexander.
www.ClickerSolutions.com is
a site dedicated to helping pet owners improve the
relationship with their pets by teaching training
and management techniques which are understandable
and reinforcing to both human and animal
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