[NAGDU] Tapering off clicker

[Julie J.]

My best answer of how and when to taper away from clicker is, trial and 
error.  That probably isn't what you wanted to hear, but it's been my 
experience.  I do exactly what you are doing...use the clicker and treats 
until behavior is established.  Then randomize the c/t to 7 of 10 or two of 
three or whatever feels like it might work.  Do that for a few days then 
step back another notch.  Repeat until c/t is gone.  Always offer praise 
though.

You can use your tongue against the roof of your mouth to make a click noise 
if you forget the plastic do-dad.  It's like the sounds kids make when they 
are imitating a horses clip clop hooves You can also substitute praise for 
the treat when you are phasing out the clicker.  So maybe the first step is 
to click every time, but only give a treat 75% and praise only the other 
25%.  It might make the transition smoother to keep the click longer and 
phase out the treats separately.

Hope that makes a little sense.  I quit coffee and some days I'm just not 
sure if my ideas make any sense to anyone but me.

Julie
Courage to Dare: A Blind Woman's Quest to Train her Own Guide Dog is now 
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http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXZSMOC
-----Original Message----- 
From: Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2016 6:51 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Cc: Tracy Carcione
Subject: [NAGDU] Tapering off clicker

Krokus likes to creep up to curbs, doors, steps, ..  Occasionally, I've
tried clicking and treating at downcurbs, which fixes the problem pretty
quickly.  But then I stop, and pretty soon we're back to creeping up.  So I
guess I'm stopping too soon, or not randomizing my clicking so he never
knows when he might get a treat.

I'm trying to do better this round.  Sometimes I just plain forget to bring
the stuff with me, but I'm trying to randomize more deliberately than that.

So, how do I know when I don't need to c&t every downcurb?  Stopping at
curbs is, after all, a behavior he already knows well; I'm just trying to
tighten it up a bit.  When he's getting it well, then do I just click every
other one, or skip every third, or something like that?  How do I know when
I can stop clicking altogether?

Tracy



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