[nagdu] clicker training

[Meghan Whalen]

That's just awesome.  That's what really is team work instead of correcting 
all of the time.  More and more, I am trying to introduce posative training 
to Kirby's life.

So, basically, you rework in a similar fashion.  You do step back and start 
over, but you do not correct, you just try again.

I want my own puppy to train!  Too bad Dayton is only mine for awhile.  I'm 
going to use the clicker as much as possible, though, since they've given it 
to us as a tool.

Thanks so much for explaining.

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 12:12 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] clicker training


> Meghan,
>
> Before I introduce the concepts of guide work, I thoroughly introduce  my 
> dog to the clicker and what it means.  The clicker game means that  when 
> my dog does something I want, I click and give a reward.  When  the dog 
> isn't doing what I want, I'll ignore her, do what we call a  reset and 
> provide the dog another opportunity to try and figure out  what I want.
>
> So we take this concept to guide work.  I've introduced the harness, 
> clicked for interacting with it and by now my dog understands that 
> putting on the harness is a great thing.
> Next I find a place without obstacles.  I pick up the handle, click  and 
> reward for any forward motion.  Once my dog understands that  putting on 
> the harness means that I want her to walk slightly ahead of  me exerting 
> pressure on the harness, I'll add an obstacle.  It is  going to be 
> something like a trash can, something that won't kill me  or hurt me if I 
> run into it.  I pick up the harness handle, dog starts  walking and most 
> likely runs me into the trash can because she doesn't  understand that 
> avoiding it is now expected.  When she runs me into  it, I don't say 
> anything.  I set down the handle, take a few steps  back and reset/rework. 
> My dog has been taught that when I do this  kind of reset it means that 
> the behavior she just did i.e. running me  into the trash can, wasn't what 
> I was looking for.  We start out again  and probably the dog is going to 
> take me around the trash can because  last time I ran into it, the can 
> made a bit of a noise and besides I  didn't want that.  So she takes me 
> around it and I click right when  she leads me around it and have a huge 
> lurve fest and jackpot of  treats.  We work at this level for a while, 
> gradually adding in  obstacles.
> Now it's time to introduce moving traffic.  I don't need to start with 
> cars, any wheeled object will do.  After all, it's the same concept 
> across the board, moving me around obstacles which also move.  I start 
> usually with grocery carts in a strip mall or other safe area.  I have 
> the person drive the cart right at me.  My dog has learned that  obstacles 
> are to be avoided but this is new so she may run me into the  cart.  I 
> reset/rework, give her a chance to give me the behavior I'm  looking for.
> Gradually we expand.  The lady behind the cart becomes more and more 
> aggressive.  We add kids on bikes, people on skates and eventually  move 
> to cars once I feel that my dog has generalized the concept of  working 
> around moving obstacles.  I start with a friend and I have  never had a 
> dog run me into a car because they've been taught that  moving obstacles 
> are to be avoided.  I try to give lots of  opportunities to succeed.  I 
> want my dog to clearly understand the  expected behavior chain before I 
> introduce cars.
> I have to say that Laveau is probably one of the safest traffic dogs  I've 
> ever had.  Because I'm Deafblind I spend probably more time on  this skill 
> than do most people because it is so important.
>
>
> 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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