A close thing

[kristina]

  

Had to tell you that Xena had several little pressies most of them I let her open she had great fun doing so also had to say half of them went in the bin I considered them too dangerous for her silly plastic stuff that could just cause damage ,they were given by people who mean well but no idea about puppies. How ever I gift arrived by post just a little box I thought well let her open that too,once through the outer wrapper the little white box appeared then the lid came off and inside were 4 small christmas puppy boots and just as she was about to run off with one of them Connor clocked a £5.00 note tucked in the top of it,by now Xena is on a high and doing a runner round the bungalow,a piece of beef was our best persuasion to get her to drop that.Another 3 £5.00 notes were found tucked in the top of the 3 other little boots,they were sent by Connors mum for us to buy her some thing, will go towards a good flexi lead.

Xena has also had another good day today out on her walk a bit silly now and then but on the whole I was pleased with her.We bumped into a very large black dog looked like a cross between a black lab and a great dane he had that look about him.I asked the guy if they could meet he said yes but he had a job to hang onto this dog and Xena changed her mind and to be honest I didn't like the look of this dog and I felt he would have had a go at her so we went seperate ways.
Have been doing some indoor training today,lots of waits and stays also roll overs she loves that,also leave is being used a lot,put her toy or tit bit down and tell her to leave only for a few seconds,she is ace at that.

Also my daughter has bought me a CLICKER along with a little bag for treats that goes with it.I have never used a Clicker as a training method and don't want to start as don't really know how to use it and don't want to mess this method up until some one shows me the correct way.I believe the training school Xena is booked into use them so will wait until then,but I also don't know now if Xena will become confused as to suddenly introduce a new way of teaching her stuff do you think that could happen??

Sorry it's a long post.Kristina

[Kimmikins]

I don't think they get confused, they'd only get confused if you were asking something different of her for the same cue, or changing the cue for a behaviour she's already learnt. I've never used a clicker either, and I'd be the same as you and wanting to at least get the groundwork set down under the supervision of somebody who knows what they're doing. From what I've read, especially from Adrianne, once you know how to use it, and how to break behaviours down into little steps, it sounds like a really great training tool.

I would be wary of a large dog too, but I have to say (as the mummy of a big girl with limited manners) that sometimes them pulling isn't always a sign that they'll go for your dog. Even hackles don't always mean that, heaven knows with Sara hackles seem to be an automatic reaction regardless of whether she likes a dog or not! Sometimes they are just so big, and so excited to meet a new dog, that they look like they're really pulling and not under control. You've experienced it with little Xena, imagine how it can be with a bigger dog who really wants to say hello. I'm not saying that you were wrong to not let them meet, because ultimately if you're not comfortable in a situation then it's not a situation for you to be in...I just wanted to offer the perspective of the big dog owners Hopefully in the future you'll meet some lovely big dogs to set the balance

[Adrianne]

... will put up my clicker training notes for you...but rule of thumb, as you begin clicker training is to remember that it tells your dog "yes - I like that" some people get a little confused and knowing that the dog has created an association with getting a reward when they hear the click , have been known to try to recall the dog from running off by clicking madly ... which actually reinforces the behaviour of running away!

[Adrianne]

Clicker Training is about precision.
Clicker Training is about rewarding the precise moment. The training tool that we call a "clicker" can capture moments in a dog's behaviour to tell him "That's Right!" This is a more accurate way to train dogs, and it's easier for the dog to understand. The advantages are that learning is quicker for the dog, no stress is involved and naturally, no punishment is involved.

Imagine you have a camera and you want to take a picture of your dog in action. You might like to try and take a photograph of him doing something cute, playing with a toy or jumping over a barrier. If you press the shutter a moment too soon or a moment too late you miss that precise moment that you've been watching for.
Most people expect their dogs to understand them and often use correction, to "explain" what is meant. Dogs do of course pick up on our intentions through our body language and they do eventually pick up commands too, even when taught in a haphazard or trial and error basis.

There is much written about the origins of clicker training and how it works on the dog's brain – a professional trainer can help you get to grips with clicker training without necessarily needing to understand the theory of "classical and operant conditioning" and other scientific stuff.
We can give our dogs valuable clues about what behaviour will be rewarded and therefore repeated, by using a clicker. And the dog can work out that certain behaviours are not required, by withholding the "click".
There is preparation work to do before beginning to "clicker train" your dog. The dog needs to understand what exactly the sound of the click means. As far as your dog is concerned, it's just a noise, it means nothing. Dogs learn by repetition and association, so you can use that by linking the sound of the clicker with the reward of a tasty food treat .

The only other preparation work to be done, and this is probably the hardest part - is that of convincing an owner that clicker training is a great way to train a dog - and that it works! Especially when we tell them that other “quick fix” tools are a waste of money and only ever work for a short while!
Human nature can get in the way and owners often want to manhandle their dogs and correct them when they're wrong. So for some owners, the hard part of learning to clicker train is keeping completely quiet, to begin with at least, until a command word needs to be added. Command words, or "cues" are only added when the behaviour that is being taught is been completely formed and is reliable.
Don't forget that your dog isn't the only one who is learning; you are learning too! If things don't work sometimes, don't blame your dog - it's more likely to be you!

To get started
1. Grab a clicker and some small, tasty food treats. Hold the clicker in one hand, and dispense treats with the other. It's a good idea to learn to click and treat with either hand equally well.Make sure that you are in a room with no distractions to begin with, close the door so that your dog can't wander away.
2. Click the clicker once (in /out) and give your dog one of the treats. Don't say anything or give any commands, your dog doesn't have to do anything at this stage to "earn" the treat
3. Repeat this "click and treat" for four or five times in succession.
4. Pause, and wait for your dog to loose a little interest. Maybe he will look away, for a moment.
5. You're going to click whilst your dog is looking away, so see if he responds when you click. But you're still going to follow the click with a treat, whatever happens, to teach your dog that a prize will always follow a click.
Once a dog understand that "click" means "yes, that's right" the training just goes on and on.


Clicker training tips.
Clicker training is one of the best forms of communication with your dog..it can be a fun way to build a relationship with your dog while teaching him to think. Clicker training is based on developing a "thinking dog" by having him work for his rewards by guessing what you want him to do. Your job as a clicker trainer is to click at just the right moment so your dog isn't confused about what you want him to do.
Tip 1. Charge the Clicker
How does your dog know that hearing a click is a good thing? This process is called "charging the clicker." To do this, simply click the clicker and give your dog a soft, tasty treat that he loves. Repeat this until your dog comes running when you pull out the clicker. Then you can start making your dog work harder to get the clicks.

Tip 2. Start Small
When you first begin making it harder for your dog to earn a click, start clicking for something that he does naturally. For example, if your dog often paws you for attention, click each time he lifts his foot and teach a shake as the first behaviour. If he likes to bring you his toy, click as he starts to walk towards you with his toy.

Tip 3. Break Behaviours into Small Pieces
When using the clicker to train a new behaviour, you aren't using lures to guide your dog into the proper behaviour, so you must break the behaviour into small enough pieces that you are clicking frequently. If you expect too much, you will be waiting too long between clicks, causing your dog to forget what he's doing.
If you want to teach your dog to pick up his toy and take it to his toy basket, your first click will be when your dog looks at his toy. When he looks away, ignore. When he looks back, click and treat.

Tip 4. Make It Harder
When your dog is eagerly looking at the toy without pause, the expectations can increase. Now, stop clicking for just a look and begin to click when your dog walks toward the toy. Only raise the criteria when your dog has obviously figured out the previous criteria and repeats it several times.
This may sound like it takes awhile, but eager dogs quickly figure out the criteria and keep the game moving. If you or your dog start to get frustrated, end the training session and try again later. Optimal time for training sessions is only 5 to 10 minutes.

Tip 5. Click Accurately
The timing of your click is the most important aspect of clicker training. Inaccuracies can make learning difficult, which is frustrating for both you and your dog. If you are trying to click for looking at the toy, click the instant the dog looks at the toy, even if it's only briefly. Make sure you observe each time your dog looks at the toy and click immediately.

Tip 6. Add Words Later
Clicker training avoids the use of words or lures to mold the behaviour, so avoid your inclination to give your dog the answer. Don't add a command until your dog is offering the entire behaviour with regularity. Then, you can put it on command and expect your dog to understand.