Puppy does bad things just to get corrected??

[Tina]

Hi Everyone!

It's been a while since I've posted and Peanut is doing really well (on certain aspects) from the training tips I've learned here.

Although...I'm noticing she may be too clever. Right now her favorite bad things to do is jump on furniture and people and dig/eat dirt outside. I have been trying positive reinforcements and she knows "off" and "drop it".

Problem is, I'm noticing she will catch on quickly and start jumping/dig just so I'll say "off" / "drop" and get treat. Especially if she sees me grab the clicker. During training she'll do something naughty, then quickly run over to get a treat. When she does I ignore her and training is over.

I'd have to say I'm secretly impressed by her figuring this out...BUT I know this will lead to lots of headaches in the future.

Am I treating/clicking at the wrong time? I'm clicking right when she lands the ground then treating. Any thoughts??

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am not a fan of treat training for this very reason.  Duh - I would do a lot of things for chocolate! :-}  Seriously treats are supposed to be faded out and praise substituted. 

[Adina P]

If clicker training is important to you, you need to talk to your trainer for help in fixing errors, stimulus control, fading clicker, fading treats.

[Adina P]

What I mean is that the clicker is intended for teaching something new/getting it on cue and refining a behavior. It isn't meant to be clicked when the dog already knows the command. As soon as a dog understands sit = sit, and can do it on cue, you don't use the clicker for sit.

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

Okay - I understand exactly the problem you're having with your dog. I am a clicker-positive reinforcement trainer as well as being a mom of two doodles. First the clicker is used to MARK the behavior you want to see. It is used to introduce new behaviors.Unless you are in a training session/practice, you don't need to use the clicker. The clicker doesn't do anything other than say "YES" that's what I want you to do (marker), then give a tiny treat (reinforcer) and Good job! (verbal reinforcement).  Here is the problem with Peanuts behavior. In particular behaviors like "OFF" - when Peanut gets off, then have her SIT, count to 5 to yourself, then Click/Treat/Praise her. Right now, in her dog mind, the immediate click is reinforcing the jumping up. It's a trick she's learned. If you give her the OFF cue, then SIT and you mark the SIT with a click, then reward the sit. you're reinforcing what you want her to do - which is SITTING, not jumping. She will get this pretty quickly. As she understands the rewarded behavior is the SIT, extend the time to count to yourself to 10, 15, 20, etc). Be sure to mark and reward as she makes progress. Remember to MARK and REINFORCE the behavior you want.

[Tina]

Thanks so much Deb! She figured all this out when I was getting her used to the "off" cue...so in a way I guess that my signal she understands it. This helps be better understand what I'm reinforcing! I will do this instead! Thanks again :)