| Clicking in a Traditional Class
If you don't
have the opportunity to take a clicker class, you
sometimes have to make due.
First, discuss
your plans with the instructor, and make sure it's
okay to bring your clicker. Since you'll be "doing
your own thing," so you want to be certain you
don't abuse the privilege.
-
Try to
be as unobtrusive as possible. Even though you're
not using the instructor's methods, try to follow
his class plan as much as possible.
-
If someone
asks questions about what you're doing, answer
honestly, but don't try to convince them to change
methods. Offer your e-mail address or phone number
if they want more info, or offer to discuss it
in more depth after class.
-
Don't
say *anything* negative about the instructor,
the methods, or any part of the class. It will
reflect poorly on you and clicker training, and
it will make the instructor less open to people
"doing their own thing."
-
Before
class starts, speak to the instructor about corrections.
If you're panning not to use any, tell him. Make
sure he understands that you won't be squirting
the dog for barking, or collar popping for misbehaving,
or forcing the dog to do an exercise he hasn't
learned yet.
-
Ask him
not to use your dog for demos -- simply explain
that you're new at this and would prefer no one
else handled the dog. It's a common request.
Second, to
lessen the stress on you and your puppy, try to work
a week ahead of everyone else. You want your dog to
"know" the behaviors before he comes to
class, so you won't feel pressured to force him into
compliance for a behavior he doesn't know. Call the
instructor and ask what behaviors will be practiced
in the first class.
There are
certain behaviors you probably ought to have pretty
solid before going in: attention, sit, and loose-leash
walking.
Attention
is the single most important thing. Truly. If your
dog doesn't learn how to focus in strange environments
BEFORE going to class, you won't be able to get his
attention, even with treats.
I would take
him out to a new place (fairly boring -- like the
far end of the PetSmart parking lot) every night for
a week before class. Put him on a six foot leash.
Get out of the car and... wait. Don't call him. Don't
wave food around. Just wait. As soon as he glances
at you, click and treat. Keep doing that until he's
focused on you, then you can practice some behaviors
he knows (or work on sit or loose-leash walking).
Loose-leash
walking and a sit-at-heel is something I would practice
only because traditional classes seem to dwell on
this exercise from the very beginning. Lots of boring
heeling drills. I promise -- the better your puppy
is at this, the happier you will be.
The secret
is maintaining a high rate of reinforcement while
the puppy is in the correct position. Don't be afraid
to feed treats pretty rapidly or pretty constantly.
Use small, soft, gooey treats that don't have to be
chewed, and (though I may get lambasted for mentioning
this) I wouldn't use the clicker. Just shovel treats.
Practice lots of starts and stops, with just 1-5 steps
in between, having him sit every time you stop.
I tried taking
my dog to a traditional class. I admit, I wasn't successful.
I found myself frustrated with my puppy and with myself
after every class. I felt pressured to perform to
an artificial standard -- because the other students
were modeling their dogs and correcting them, they
"appeared" to be performing better than
my puppy.
Your puppy
is the only thing that matters. Do only what makes
you feel good about him. Don't risk your relationship
for the sake of that class.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article
was reproduced on www.Southwestk9services.com
with the permission of the author Melissa Alexander.
www.ClickerSolutions.com ,
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
