Post by Aussienot on Sept 16, 2006 19:41:55 GMT -5
I had to submit a video using target training. I passed and most of the feedback was positive. The only negative comment was that I shouldn't say Good or Yes when giving a treat. My click/treat timing was good and that I should 'trust the power' of it. I shouldn't have given verbal praise as well.
I concede the point. I'm not a regular clicker trainer, and a voice marker is what I do 99% of the time, so it's just habit. I have to try really hard not to praise - it's a knee jerk response. One of my study buddies also got this comment - too much talking.
In the beginning obedience class I instructed Tuesday night this topic came up too. One student finally got a reasonable heel out of her dog, and in excitement she said Yes Sheba, good girl. Sheba lifted her head and looked like she was really interested in her handler for the first time in the class. It was the best heeling she'd ever done.
So we talked about the tactic of verbally encouraging your dog during heeling.
One of the students asked about how much talking to do, and when do you run the danger of too much talking being white noise? I do quite a bit of chatter at Finn when we are heeling because he does respond to it. I expect 100% turned head attention on me, and I do comment when he does a good turn, or when I know he wants to pay attention to something else but doesn't.
I can see the white noise danger, and admit I'm an offender. My sequence is Click/Praise/Treat, and when I randomize the treat it is Click/Praise, C/P/T, P/T, P and so on. It makes the praise a primary marker rather than the clicker and the food a reinforcer.
I'm wondering if a silent click/treat leads to dogs only working for food?
I concede the point. I'm not a regular clicker trainer, and a voice marker is what I do 99% of the time, so it's just habit. I have to try really hard not to praise - it's a knee jerk response. One of my study buddies also got this comment - too much talking.
In the beginning obedience class I instructed Tuesday night this topic came up too. One student finally got a reasonable heel out of her dog, and in excitement she said Yes Sheba, good girl. Sheba lifted her head and looked like she was really interested in her handler for the first time in the class. It was the best heeling she'd ever done.
So we talked about the tactic of verbally encouraging your dog during heeling.
One of the students asked about how much talking to do, and when do you run the danger of too much talking being white noise? I do quite a bit of chatter at Finn when we are heeling because he does respond to it. I expect 100% turned head attention on me, and I do comment when he does a good turn, or when I know he wants to pay attention to something else but doesn't.
I can see the white noise danger, and admit I'm an offender. My sequence is Click/Praise/Treat, and when I randomize the treat it is Click/Praise, C/P/T, P/T, P and so on. It makes the praise a primary marker rather than the clicker and the food a reinforcer.
I'm wondering if a silent click/treat leads to dogs only working for food?