# Starting clicker training.



## Purley (May 21, 2010)

I am sure there are posts on here, but when I tried searching, it just said there was an error.

Anyway, all I want to know is, when you very first start clicker training, I have heard that you don't actually train, you click and give a treat, click and give a treat.

If this is correct, I'd like to know how much you do that -- I mean do you do it 5 times, 10 times, 100 times? Do you have more than one session just clicking and treating. 

I want to start with Lucy before we go to her beginners class on September 21st. She will walk willingly on the leash now so long as she is walking with one of my other dogs. But she tends to dig her heels in if I try to walk her by herself. I thought I would try the clicker, but wasn't sure how to start.

I have tried what someone suggested - just getting her on pavement and walking, but I really don't like just dragging her along with her feet not moving.

Should I get the walking on the leash down - BEFORE I try the clicker?

Any tips??


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I love clicker training - and my dogs love it even more! "Charging" the clicker - ensuring the dog understands that the click means a treat is on its way - should not take long with a dog as intelligent as a poodle. As soon as Lucy looks for the treat when she hears the click, she has got the message and you are on your way. Start with easy things - like Sit or Down, and then you should be able to move on quickly to click and treating for walking with you, etc. It is a brilliant way of "explaining" to the dog what exactly you want them to do - they think they are training you, which makes it fun and rewarding for them! 

I find the dogs are much better at it than I am - I really need to work on my timing. There are lots of good books out there - the main thing is to remember that a click is ALWAYS followed by a treat, and that you need to judge the proportion of good, clicked, rewarded responses, versus inadequate, unclicked, unrewarded responses at the right level to keep your dog engaged.


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## Beach girl (Aug 5, 2010)

Timing is all-important. My trainer said what helped her was to think of it as "photograph." The second you click, you are capturing and marking exactly the behavior you want repeated. Just like with a camera, the second you press that shutter, that's the picture you get.

Charging the clicker doesn't take long at all. Try two or three short sessions of 5 to 10 repetitions. You will know she's got it when she looks for the treat. Use very small treats. If you have something sort of soft, just tear off little pencil-eraser size bits.


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## Purley (May 21, 2010)

She absolutely loves the beef pill pockets. I was getting frustrated giving her her pills. She always managed to move them over into her cheek and spit them out again. Once I tried a little bit of pill pocket molded around the pill, she takes it no problem.

I will use bits of pill pocket for the treats. I will have to do it outside with the other dogs inside as its impossible with three dogs clamouring for the bit of pill pocket.

Thanks for the tips. I think I've got it now!


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## Aida-Christine (Oct 26, 2009)

A trainer friend of mine always says that when you start clicker training you should pull out the clicker multiple times durring the day, but only click them about 10-20 times per session. The idea is that they will eventually get really excited when they see the clicker. Once you've reached that step, it's time to put that excitment towards some trainning.


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## Purley (May 21, 2010)

If my older dogs aren't clicker trained, how do I handle that. Do I have to take Lucy by herself? It seems mean to give Lucy a treat and not the other two?


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## Margotsmom (Jun 6, 2010)

I believe there is some info at Karen Pryor Clickertraining


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

I train my dogs separately most of the time, though I am also teaching one to settle in the corner while I train the other, but it's just as easy to leave one in her crate for 5 mins or so while I train the other!!! For new training it will definitely be easier to have her alone without the others about; give them a chew outside or in their crates or something so they're out of your hair while you do a bit of training.


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## Beach girl (Aug 5, 2010)

Yes, I agree. If you have multiple dogs you need to do the real training individually. 

You can "charge the clicker" though for both of them at the same time. I'm not sure if that's exactly the recommended method, but I did it, with our rescue Pippin and the new puppy Casey, on cold winter evenings inside. Usually I trained them separately, though; the joint thing did not go on for very long.


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