For those of you with experience ,
on average how long does it take for a pup to learn the clicker method ?
Do you think it is any "quicker" ( or should I say easier) training this way ?
Lel

No I don't think it is any quicker than lots of praise and perhaps rewards, I always think hand signals and voice are best, what happens if you loose the clicker!!

I have used a clicker before and I agree that it doesn't seem to work any better than using treats and praise (especially since you first have to get them used to the clicker by using treats). If you do use, you have to be very, very consistent with it, otherwise it's just a waste of time.

In my limited experience, it very much depends on the dog - some pick the idea of clicker training up very quickly and thrive on it, even being willing to offer new behaviours that they think you might be wanting, which does wonders for the owner/dog relationship. While others (often the breeds who have inherited traits that require minimal 'formal' training, I'm thinking hounds etc, without wishing to belittle or do down hounds or their owners) seem to struggle with the idea that they are going to spend a short period of time in an intense one to one session.......

Not having had a lot of 'formal' training myself :) I have problems getting my head round what I've read in mags about clicker training. It seems to me that you deliberately keep moving the goalposts - praise and reward the dog for doing one thing, then suddenly not praising it for that, but for something else instead.

If I were the dog, I'd think "B****r this for a game of soldiers, I like consistency" and quit.

Can someone enlighten me - surely it can't be as unkind and unsettling as that?

In reading some of the replies it seems that people think you will always need the clicker. The clicker is used to MARK the behaviour you are after then you treat. Yes, if done properly it does work faster and quicker. It is still the handsignal/treats/rewards principal, but with the clicker you are able to tell the dog at exactly the right moment what it has done right. Then if you are a bit slow on the reward it still knows what the behaviour was.

For example, I taught my dogs to bow finally using the clicker. They got it in a 20 minute period between the two of them and I've never had to click them again for it. With bow and down being so similar, if I didn't have the clicker to mark the right position then by the time they would get the treat they would be too far past the bow position. I clicked when their butt was still in the air, and if they got their reward after it hit the floor that was fine, they KNEW the position I was after and the next time went down that bit slower until they stopped at exactly the right point.

It is easier to click at the exact right moment than to treat - if you treat early or late the dog may relate the reward to something entirely different.

Just to reiterate the clicker is a MARKER for the right behaviour - once the behaviour is achieved you don't use it any more.

Wendy

I've never used a clicker and always considered that if you get the praise in at the right time then the clicker is not needed. So saying, a friend used clicker training with her puppy and last year won two gundog working tests in two weeks so it obviously worked for her.

Regards, John

I think if you read about the clicker and don't see it in action you tend to think "I don't want to do that, " and there's no reason why anyone should if they don't want to. Myself, I am thrilled because it has givne me that extra little bit of communication with my dog.

It's not for everyone and I agree with Wendy and Digger, they both make very good points, esp. Wendy explaining about the exact moment the Bow is marked, and that it doesn't matter if the dog is on the floor when rewarded as they still know what was meant.

Thing is, moving the boundaries is "upping the criteria". An example is when I taught Banya a Sendaway, first of all i used the clicker to teach touch the pole, then we did this at more of a distance, say 1foot, 2foot, etc. Then moved the pole to a hedge, then eventually moved the pole and she knew to go to the hedge.

Each time i was expecting her to use her brain to think what i wanted. Nearer the pole, nearer the hedge, etc. Sometimes in this type of training you actually wait the dog out. It tires a dog mentally which is brilliant for active dogs, and also they learn to give that little bit more, to try more, and find it challenging but fun. Banya is so happy when she works :) She knows she doesn't get told off so will experiment if I need her to, and you can teach concepts such as "wrong" and "try again" :) That is so useful and can you imagine how amazing it is to say "try again" and the dog does try again :) :) :)

I was a bit sceptical when I started using it, but now i wouldn't be without it, and yes once the dog knows the required behaviour the clicker is no longer needed unless you want to refine it a bit more :)

If you or anyone else is interested, I recommend Karen Pryor's book on clicker training, and also "Quick Clicks" by Mandy Book and Cheryl Smith. This last is brilliiant for once you have got the hang of the training. As has been prreviously mentioned there are also clicker support groups on the net, which I would love to join if i could sort out my relationship with Yahoo! :D

Hi Lyndsay,
You and Wendy have said exactly what I wanted to say. Clicker isn't for everyone but it is fascinating watching the dog work out what you are after and it is so quiet and uncluttered. When I get my pup I plan to use clicker right from the beginning,
Anne :-D

Anne,

One of my problems when starting with the clicker was learning to shut up so that the dog could concentrate LOL :D ;) :p :o

LIndsay

And if you've ever met Lyndsey, you'll know how difficult that must have been <G>

Luvs ya really mate :-)

LOL - I know I am bad !!! ;) :o

Mu mother was just the same, maybe it is genetic :D :D :p

Lindsay