This is where we started, marking the good behavior with the clicker, then a food reward.
Bella clicker training
- Thread starter steveo007
- Start date
It looks interesting Steve,
I need to learn more about the technique, what do you use for a clicker?
That is a nice dog.
I need to learn more about the technique, what do you use for a clicker?
That is a nice dog.
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
O.K I'll stir it up here a bit here because that's what forum's are all about... Prey drive is what a hunting dog is all about, if they don't have it in my opinion don't waste your time. Not a big fan of clicker/treat training in fact not at all, From my experience this kind of training can many time's lead to failure when conditions become adverse and trying . Many time's I have seen a positive training style dog decide it's too harsh an environmental conditional or task to perform . I train my client's dogs to respond to voice commands and whistles that I can do at normal hunting ranges.A solid gun dog is first a tool and then a pet, They are very capable of doing both if the breeding and temperament provides but one needs to decide what they want and what they are willing to settle for and go from there. Because of my job I have to approach the training as results oriented, I come at it from giving the client a dog back that will do the job no matter what the conditions are. In my professional opinion positive reinforcement only comes when they do the right behavior and with only praise and comfort when performed as asked (I don't carry treats around in my pocket because it's not a way I believe in training a dog, I praise and stroke and talk to the dog when I get what I am asking for. My wife apprenticed under Bodo Winterhelt the co- founder of NAVHDA he was one of the premier versatile trainers of his time, my wife Tracy taught me and I spent many years under her wing. Bodo was forceful and demanding but produced many solid dogs in his career as did my wife. Think about it, in a wolf pack (which is where dog's have evolved from) if a lesser pack member behave's in a inappropriate way they get bitten and they learn that they have no choice but to do what has been asked of them. Dog's are pack animals and respond to what the pack demands. In my opinion If you watch the pup in the video (sorry Steve no offense to you or your pup) it was all about the treats and it worked ( good. I'm not saying it won't turn out good I'm just offering what up my thought's and experience on how I was taught and run my operation.
Great info ,I value your experience and input, shes now 5 .5 months and we've moved on from the clicker and reward training . Shes had one gun fire intro with navhda were moving on to live bird .
I mostly agree with Snakecharmer except for : "A solid gun dog is first a tool and then a pet".
In my experience training aussies and now a Humphries Llewellin, if you don't have the bond then you can't expect much. When the dog has enough of the bond then he knows what you are thinking from a long distance and you know what he is thinking. Tools are for the tool box.
In my experience training aussies and now a Humphries Llewellin, if you don't have the bond then you can't expect much. When the dog has enough of the bond then he knows what you are thinking from a long distance and you know what he is thinking. Tools are for the tool box.
When teaching commands... in the beginning.... do voice + hand gesture commands simultanouesly... and heavy treating of course. Then.. when they've got the command good... you do just voice.... treats of course... then you do just hand gestures...treats of course... and Always with the Praise! Then when they're good with both... you start weening off the treats 90/10 80/20 70/30 and so on. And won't take long at all they'll execute just for the praise and "fun" of it. Also you can do voice + head nods in order to teach them head nods to execute commands... same process.
Very important... ONLY TREAT when they've executed the command EXACTLY as you'd like them to! They WILL try to "short-change" you on their execution. Do not allow them to. You don't do it right? You don't get the treat.
Another common thing you see you whip out a treat, and they'll bust out and execute all the commands they know all at one time one right after the other. When they do that you gotta say "No, I didn't tell you to do all that." Then take a step backwards, and when you've got their attention again with a "Ready?"... execute your command again.
Develop a "No!" sound that you will use for immediate reprimands. Both a loud version and a soft version. Such as "AHHHHT!"
Develop a specific sound of whistle. So that way they know it separate and apart from anybody elses whistle to their dog.
When doing your "Come!" command outside... when they are some distance away... in the beginning always precede it by your particular whistle, then the "Come!" command.
And a particularly useful trick I discovered with my first dog... if your dog gets easily distracted when returning back with the fetch... Hop a little from side-to-side... first a little this way.... then a little that way... make it random... it gives them change in your position that they naturally want to focus on, which prevents them from getting distracted during the return of the fetch over a longer distance. Of course when they arrive at your position... treat and lotsa praise in high-pitched praise voice! Eventually just the praise is all that's needed.
Big thing is just huge amounts of repetition.. and YOU being consistent in what you demand from them. Most folks give-up and cave-in during the training... or... they have a spouse/partner who does behaviors that EFF up and undo the training you're doing with them.
Very important... ONLY TREAT when they've executed the command EXACTLY as you'd like them to! They WILL try to "short-change" you on their execution. Do not allow them to. You don't do it right? You don't get the treat.
Another common thing you see you whip out a treat, and they'll bust out and execute all the commands they know all at one time one right after the other. When they do that you gotta say "No, I didn't tell you to do all that." Then take a step backwards, and when you've got their attention again with a "Ready?"... execute your command again.
Develop a "No!" sound that you will use for immediate reprimands. Both a loud version and a soft version. Such as "AHHHHT!"
Develop a specific sound of whistle. So that way they know it separate and apart from anybody elses whistle to their dog.
When doing your "Come!" command outside... when they are some distance away... in the beginning always precede it by your particular whistle, then the "Come!" command.
And a particularly useful trick I discovered with my first dog... if your dog gets easily distracted when returning back with the fetch... Hop a little from side-to-side... first a little this way.... then a little that way... make it random... it gives them change in your position that they naturally want to focus on, which prevents them from getting distracted during the return of the fetch over a longer distance. Of course when they arrive at your position... treat and lotsa praise in high-pitched praise voice! Eventually just the praise is all that's needed.
Big thing is just huge amounts of repetition.. and YOU being consistent in what you demand from them. Most folks give-up and cave-in during the training... or... they have a spouse/partner who does behaviors that EFF up and undo the training you're doing with them.