Clicker training

I actually did some shaping with Cleo last night. Oh how I love it. Cleo, after 15 minutes, was doing down about 60% of the time when I asked without me have to use a food lure to lure her to the ground! Oh I was so happy. So this morning I tested her again and she did it about 80% without fail. It is so nice to finally have a training tool that is working for Cleo. I felt like I was doing something wrong I just didn't know what. This has been a game changer! Once she has down, down :wink2:, I am going to start doing the slot machine method with her and see how that goes. I have no idea why none of my trainers told me to do this. So thank you guys so much for this. Really! :hugs
 
Cleo2014 said:
I have no idea why none of my trainers told me to do this. So thank you guys so much for this. Really! :hugs
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Teaching training classes is really hard, because you need to be good at training dogs, but you need to be even better at teaching humans. It's not easy to juggle both sets of skills! I'm glad we were able to help you get unstuck with your clicker. Isn't it a blast?

I actually sat down last night and did some shaping with Betty. Current goal is for her to do a down and kick her back legs out "frog style" on cue. If your dog can physically do something, you can turn it into a trick!
 
Piper's mom said:
Cleo, I just thought I'd mention something to you that I'm doing with Piper, it might help with Cleo. I'm also working on Pipers attentiveness and I found this excercize that helps with attention and focus and I thought it might help you.

http://www.bodeus.com/training.htm#focus
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I have actually been working with her on this. It is helping a lot. What I really need to do is take her outside and work with her. This is where most of the problem with attention is.
 
Piper's problem is outside somewhat but more so busy areas so we've started going to the mall where there are more people around (outside).Now I just have to find that one super special treat that will make him LOOK at me haha.
 
When I was training Edan, I'd take him to a local strip mall and walk back and forth. We'd occasionally stop near the doors of busy stores for a short time (NOT blocking the entrance, off to the side out of the way) and I'd put him in a sit then a down so he'd get use to working with me and focusing on me in crowded places. I still need to do this exercise with Keiran. It was great practice for the "walk through a crowd" portion of the CGC.
 
Silaria said:
When I was training Edan, I'd take him to a local strip mall and walk back and forth. We'd occasionally stop near the doors of busy stores for a short time (NOT blocking the entrance, off to the side out of the way) and I'd put him in a sit then a down so he'd get use to working with me and focusing on me in crowded places. I still need to do this exercise with Keiran. It was great practice for the "walk through a crowd" portion of the CGC.
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I wish I could do something like that. We don't have any strip malls where I live at. Best I can do is take her to the local park on a busy day over by the playground. I have done this before when I brought my kids there to play. It did not go so well. She just had to meet and jump up on everyone. I was so embarrassed. Now I try to make her sit before someone pets her so she is less likely to jump on someone.
 
Update!

Since I have started clicker training, Cleo will now "down" on command (no more food lure! YAY!) and her healing outside has improved a lot. We were able to heel with minor distance distractions such as people outside, lawnmowers, and dogs inside fences. Once we were almost done she did have a slip of attention. A dog we have never seen before was let out off leash to go to the bathroom in a non fenced in front yard. I had a slight panic moment when their eyes locked because she wanted to get to the other dog and I had no idea how this new dog would react. I started guarding her while walking and that threw her off. After we got a certain distance away she was back to heeling just fine. Right now I am trying to keep her attention on me part of the time while heeling so I am clicking and giving her a treat every time she looks at me while walking in the heel position. This has helped so much in getting her attention on me and being able to keep herself in the desired position. She did this for a good 8 minutes. I know I already said this once but I will say it again, clicker training is a fantastic training tool!
 
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