Training with Markers/Clickers

First topic message reminder :

IMAO this is an excellent article on training. It's quite long and intensive so put aside some study time.

http://leerburg.com/markers.htm

I agree, it's a great read.

I've never really got on with clicker training (me, not the dog). I think I'm a bit too old to change! But clicker & marker training do fascinate me!

I've never tried clicker training so....
I have always used voice & hand signals combined as a pup. As the dog matures, treats are replaced by pats & praise. 

I've never tried hand signals but trained my Dobies with voice combined with treat, lessening out the treats and replacing by praise as they grew older. They weren't obedience champions or anything, but they did OK.

When we got Kuchar I joined a (very expensive) puppy class recommended by my vets and only discovered after paying the full whack and arriving there that it was heavily into clicker training. I swear I did try, but the whole thing was a disaster as far as I and Kuchar were concerned and has a long-lasting repercussion to this day. I'll never try it again I'm afraid.

I think it may have been a mistake for them to use group sessions to teach clicker training to excited pups and owners. It's a very precise method of training, so they couldn't possibly give the right amount of attention to each individual. Not surprised you were disenchanted with it!

Eleanor wrote:I think it may have been a mistake for them to use group sessions to teach clicker training to excited pups and owners. It's a very precise method of training, so they couldn't possibly give the right amount of attention to each individual. Not surprised you were disenchanted with it!

That was certainly a large part of it, Eleanor!

I'm a convert to clicker training. Thought it was an unnecessary addition to treats and voice till Axel. He couldn't be bothered with treats so I needed I needed something more. Gave the clicker a go and it works. Not using it also works but you can train in half the time with a clicker.
We train in groups at school but Sue will explain and tell you when to click and treat till you're more confident.
I'm also probably not using the clicker as I'm supposed to but I follow my own individual training methods with each of my dogs.

Good to hear it works for you Shisa.

Like anything else in life, no "one size fits all", but when it does it's great!

LyndaW wrote:I've never tried hand signals but trained my Dobies with voice combined with treat, lessening out the treats and replacing by praise as they grew older.  They weren't obedience champions or anything, but they did ok

 How did you get them to ...sit, drop, stand, belly crawl or wait from a distance if not for hand signals? Did you do off lead training with them?

I ask as with my boofa, it was 90% off lead, hand signals & him watching my left leg for instructions. 

I dont speak to mine often now. Once their walkies choker is on, They look to me for what they should do next.

Didn't do belly crawl, Tracy, but the rest of the stuff you mention they got to know the words for and did it. They were off-lead and the distance wasn't huge, but there were no hand signals.

This wasn't obedience competition stuff, mind you, just good citizenship stuff although the "stand" command came in useful for beauty showing classes.

I've never put mine into competitions. I used to train with the rottie club. They have their own set of rules. Then I went to mixed breed. I love it for the variety of breeds, sizes & ages. Best socialization in the world for a pup in my opinion.  But whichever school, they have all had to reach what we call grade 3.