[nagdu] clicker training

[Meghan Whalen]

This is so well written and makes tons of sense.

My one fear that I know isn't legitimate with exclusively doing clicker 
training, a worry I think could be easily quenched but is ingrained in me is 
how you teach the dog what is unsafe.

I understand rewarding the desirable behaviors.  I understand that walking 
you into a pole is an undesirable behavior, but what do you then do to help 
the dog understand what you want, to convince/train the dog that walking you 
into the pole is not a desired thing to do?

I'm not at all saying I don't agree with you, I just want to better 
understand, because I would love love to be able to train my own guide 
exclusively on clicker work.

Your dog knows without a doubt that she needs to keep you a safe distance 
from cars.  She does this without flaw, and she has never been bopped on the 
nose by a rolled up paper held by the driver of the car while in training. 
She does not respect cars because they bop her on the nose, but she respects 
them because it is a posative thing to do so.  How do you reach the point 
where you are confident the dog will choose desirable behaviors?

Again, not at all doubting, I just want to learn more more more.

Meghan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "The Pawpower Pack" <pawpower4me at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2010 11:28 AM
Subject: [nagdu] clicker training


> Meghan,
>
> I began using clicker training with Mill'E who is my crossover dog, 
> meaning that I started her training with traditional jerk and praise  type 
> training, before making the switch.  Laveau has been trained  using only 
> clicker training and the difference in her work is  incredible.  I wish I 
> could adequately describe how different it is.   She loves to work, she 
> doesn't rush to her destination; just getting  there is so rewarding for 
> her.  She has excellent food refusal skills  while working; she 
> occasionally backslides at home but that is my fault.
> Clicker has taught me to take responsibility for my part in the  training 
> process.  It has taught me that behavior is just behavior,  and that there 
> is really no such thing as good behavior, or bad  behavior.  There is only 
> desired behavior and undesired behavior.   This may seem like a small 
> thing-- just semantics, but the words  "good" and "bad are really quite 
> loaded.  When I used words like that,  I found that my relationship with 
> my dog was very adversarial.  My dog  is trying to flout my authority by 
> doing bad behaviors, or my dog is  testing/disrespecting/ignoring me and 
> is trying to be the boss so is  doing bad behaviors.  By using the words 
> desirable/undesirable, I'm  taking responsibility for reinforcing the 
> behaviors I find desirable.   Jumping on people is undesirable to me.  I 
> don't want my dog to do  it.  She isn't jumping on people so she can be 
> the boss, she's jumping  because she wants to greet people and when dogs 
> greet one another  there is a great deal of face sniffing and licking.  If 
> I find jumping  to be undesirable, then it is my responsibility to teach 
> her an  alternative behavior, and set up the situation so that she cannot 
> do  the undesirable behavior, or if she does do the behavior, it isn't 
> rewarding for her.
> I want my dog to be a thinking dog.  I want working and other  behaviors 
> to be her idea.
> That is one of the things I love most about clicker training, my dog  is 
> working to earn a click and is thinking.  She is not trying to  avoid 
> punitive action on my part.  That difference in mindset is  amazing to 
> watch.
> I hope more of the programs begin to use clicker training and teach  the 
> science and mechanics behind it to the handlers.  I think there  would be 
> wonderful benefits for the dogs, less stress for the handler,  and more 
> pleasing to the public at large.
>
>
> Rox and the Herbal HenchHounds
> Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
> "It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point 
> out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half- wit, 
> and the emperor remains an emperor."-- Neil Gaiman
> http://www.pawpowercreations.com/retreat.html
> pawpower4me at gmail.com
> AIM: Brissysgirl
>
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