Anyone used the clicker method to train a dog?

[cheltzey]

Has anyone used the clicker method to train a dog? I'm read a book about greyhounds right now, and this book highly recommends the clicker method. Anyone have experience with this? How easy/difficult is it to implement and continue? Anyone have another method they prefer?

[ColleenSwerb]

I have read about the clicker method, and I believe petsmart sells the clickers and uses them in their classes.

But I am not a fan.

I find it is difficult to click at the right moment, as well as being unnecessary. A simple praise word instead of a clicker works just as well in my opinion. Petsmart/Petco sell small training treats that you can use in conjunction with a praise word.

I grew up with 2 greyhounds and we didn't use the clicker method.

[Stacey42]

We used it with our hound for certain things, like stop and drop it, along with specific words. We got her from a shelter & she was obviously already trained for some things. When we went to dog training class with her we determined her previous owners must have used the clicker because she responded immediately to it. Though mostly we used command words, praise & rewards

[digideb]

My dog totally ignored the clicker.

[lauren grier]

that chick.. whats her name... lol.. on animal planet, uses it.. I'm always amazed by how she gets them to respond LOL.. I don't have any dogs now- but grew up with lots of them.. and my parents still have doggies.. we never used clickers I agree with col- key words seem to work just as well/better.

victoria? i think that's her name haha..

[Sharon Kay]

This brings back memories! We bought a clicker for dog training ... our dog just looked at it and wouldn't do anything ... if we clicked it multiple times he would lay down and ignore us. Mom (me) pulling out "the finger" and pointing it at him got much more of a reaction ... head down, tail between the legs, and a "I'm sorry mommy" look is what I got. lol

[Nathalie]

I have a greyhound and a clicker - do I use the clicker... uhhhh, no... I could though, I am just too lazy I do like the clicker method - it usually is faster/instantly than a praise word and another huge benefit, it always sounds the same, whereas your voice changes (louder, softer, mood depending, etc). My problem was/is, that I constantly forget the clicker, so use my voice instead.

You have to start training slowly and as always, it depends on the dog how fast he picks it up, some are super fast, others need longer. To get a dog used to a clicker (yes, in some cases dogs are scared by the noise), you go somewhere quiet without a lot of distraction and have some favourite treats with you. You then click and reward immediately with a treat. Repeat that multiple times and repeat that over a couple of days. The dog will learn that the click means a reward follows. So it is important that you always have a treat ready to give when you click. It doesn't work when you cliok and then have to grab in the bag to get a treat!

If you have a dog that already knows commands like sit, drop, etc., you simply give the command e.g. "sit!" and as soon as his bottom hits the ground, you click and reward. Imagine you want to capture exactly that moment with a camera, not before he sits and not after he sat down but just as soon as he sits you would release the trigger. That is exactly the moment you need to click.

If you want to train a dog/puppy, who doesn't know any commands you are supposed to wait until they do an action without you saying a command and then click. The dog soon will see the connection - ah, if I do this, I get a reward. If he does that constantly you start using the command, too. Don't confuse the dog by rewaridng everything, just start with one exercise. If you don't want to wait until he does something, you can use the treat to lure him into the right position - for example for the sit, you lure the treat close to him and lift it slightly over his head, this will make him lift his head and lower his bottom to the ground.

A word to the treats:It needs to be something that the dog LOVES, would do anything for to get it, so to speak. There are dogs that are more food orientated, some prefer to play a game with his favourite ball, rope, etc. This you need to cut out of his normal life and just use for rewarding your dog. What this means is, that if your dog loooves cheese, never give him any cheese unless you are training him. And... with clicker training they say a raisin for a polar bear! So only tiny, tiny bits for a dog; the tinier the dog, the tinier the treats! If the dog does something exeptionally well, give him a jackpot, maybe 3-4 treats at once. And always end the training session on a positive note! If training doesn't go well, end the training with something you know he does well and give him a jackpot and a cuddle. If you feel frustrated, again, end the session with something positive or - don't start training in the first place. Dogs pick up on your mood, it influences the training.

Oh gosh, here I go again... talk and talk and talk

[cheltzey]

Originally Posted by Nathalie

I have a greyhound and a clicker - do I use the clicker... uhhhh, no... I could though, I am just too lazy I do like the clicker method - it usually is faster/instantly than a praise word and another huge benefit, it always sounds the same, whereas your voice changes (louder, softer, mood depending, etc). My problem was/is, that I constantly forget the clicker, so use my voice instead.

You have to start training slowly and as always, it depends on the dog how fast he picks it up, some are super fast, others need longer. To get a dog used to a clicker (yes, in some cases dogs are scared by the noise), you go somewhere quiet without a lot of distraction and have some favourite treats with you. You then click and reward immediately with a treat. Repeat that multiple times and repeat that over a couple of days. The dog will learn that the click means a reward follows. So it is important that you always have a treat ready to give when you click. It doesn't work when you cliok and then have to grab in the bag to get a treat!

If you have a dog that already knows commands like sit, drop, etc., you simply give the command e.g. "sit!" and as soon as his bottom hits the ground, you click and reward. Imagine you want to capture exactly that moment with a camera, not before he sits and not after he sat down but just as soon as he sits you would release the trigger. That is exactly the moment you need to click.

If you want to train a dog/puppy, who doesn't know any commands you are supposed to wait until they do an action without you saying a command and then click. The dog soon will see the connection - ah, if I do this, I get a reward. If he does that constantly you start using the command, too. Don't confuse the dog by rewaridng everything, just start with one exercise. If you don't want to wait until he does something, you can use the treat to lure him into the right position - for example for the sit, you lure the treat close to him and lift it slightly over his head, this will make him lift his head and lower his bottom to the ground.

A word to the treats:It needs to be something that the dog LOVES, would do anything for to get it, so to speak. There are dogs that are more food orientated, some prefer to play a game with his favourite ball, rope, etc. This you need to cut out of his normal life and just use for rewarding your dog. What this means is, that if your dog loooves cheese, never give him any cheese unless you are training him. And... with clicker training they say a raisin for a polar bear! So only tiny, tiny bits for a dog; the tinier the dog, the tinier the treats! If the dog does something exeptionally well, give him a jackpot, maybe 3-4 treats at once. And always end the training session on a positive note! If training doesn't go well, end the training with something you know he does well and give him a jackpot and a cuddle. If you feel frustrated, again, end the session with something positive or - don't start training in the first place. Dogs pick up on your mood, it influences the training.

Oh gosh, here I go again... talk and talk and talk

This sounds just like what I was reading. I think I'm definitely going to try it *when* I get a dog (I'm saying when so that my positive thoughts will come back to me!). You know how you get baby fever? Well, I definitely have dog fever! I'd bring one home today if DH would let me.

[Nathalie]

Chelsey, can you tell me which book it is? Would love reading it!

[cheltzey]

It's Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies (dumb name, I know). I was really hesitant, but I picked it up because it had a ton of really good reviews and was required reading for a lot of greyhound adoption groups (not ours, but I figured it couldn't hurt). She spends several chapters talking about training and I was quite impressed.

[Nathalie]

Hmmm, sounds really nice, I might buy the book. Although our Max is not a retired racing dog I think it might be interesting to read. Thanks!

[Pop Alexandr]

I tried, but the clickers didn't work in my experience. I managed to train my dog through Wolf Methodology.