Chapter ONE--What IS Clicker Training? Let's discuss!

[Adina P]

When you are finished reading chapter one, please share your thoughts, questions and insights in this discussion.

If you have not yet received the book or are still awaiting your password, don't worry, you won't be behind!

[Doodle Kisses]

Very good idea...in a future chapter this game (or a similar one) is discussed :)

[Holly Paterniti]

That is really a good idea :) I may have to do this with Dylan, my older child. I do not think my daughter who is 3 would really understand what is going on.

[Holly Paterniti]

I guess my only worry was, like with kids, they will depend on the treat all the time. Although I have to say as I kept on reading the chapter, I understood better.

[Adina P]

Well...that is a valid concern. Done wrong the dog will need to see a treat constantly, but done right the treat becomes a surprise and now and then. So that's part of the reason that the treat is NOT used to lure the dog, or at least is not supposed to be used to lure and bribe. Instead we use target sticks or your hand or shaping, etc and the treat is a reward not a bribe. And you need to learn to fade the treat and give it on a variable reward schedule once the behavior is well taught. So you ALWAYS treat after the click but you work to get rid of the click too so that the behavior is on verbal cue.

[Holly Paterniti]

Will the training help us with putting the treat on a variable schedule? You know I know how to do this with human children, but am clueless with Bear :) Crazy, huh?

[Adina P]

Well..I think so but I can't remember! I'll help you through it though or find info or more experienced clicker folks to step in =)

Essentially you don't even have to worry about it until you've put a behavior on cue. So I would first work on thing Bear does NOT know and get those on cue so it's all new and fresh.

[Denise, Winnie, and AngelAbby]

I am glad I joined this - it is awesome! I grab the clicker and Abby jumps up and is ready to partake. It's nice to see that she is enjoying this whole thing. What can be better than to make learning fun!