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Message thread at CPP
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***Clicker Club***| Hey ajax - I'm not JC, but since I'm reading your message now, I'll answer it. :) A clicker will cost you a couple of dollars at the pet store. It's a metal piece inside a little plastic box. Typically they are at the registers, but sometimes they might be with dog training stuff, like books and things. If you can't find them, just ask. Let us know when you get your clicker! | 
EagleGirl & Deerslayer | | 2010-09-01 05:03:52 | | Ah, okay Comanche, now we know where to start. Either go to page 10 of the Clicker Club, or go to the Wiggins Weekly Number 4 Volume 7, and read the column about charging the clicker. It will tell you what that is and how to go about it. Then, go to page 11 of the Clicker Club, or the Wiggins Weekly Number 4 Volume 8, and read the column about "shaping" behavior. Those columns should help you get started.
Also, if you have access to a library, see if it has any books by Karen Pryor, Alexandra Kurland, or Sharon Foley. They are all clicker trainers, and their books will help you a lot. Even if you get a Karen Pryor book about clicker training dogs, the principles are the same and the book will help you understand clicker training a little better.
And see if you can get your Grandpa to help you look up a lady called Judy Ryder. She has a web site (Iceryder) that has lots of videos and articles. It was the videos on her site that helped me finally start to understand what the articles were talking about. But please be sure that your Grandpa helps you. Once you find Judy's site it will be fine for you to watch the videos, but you always have to be very careful when you search the internet.
I am so excited that your grandfather is willing to help you with your clicker training. Please tell him we think he is the best! I think it would be great for the two of you to watch some of the videos on Judy's site together, and to read some of the articles and books together too.
Just start out slowly, with charging the clicker, and see where that takes you. Some animals get it immediately, and others need several sessions. Please ask any questions you need to. And don't feel bad if you go a little too fast sometimes for Comanche. Trust me, if you do, you will know it, because he will tell you! In fact, it sounds like he did already. :-) If this happens, just back up to the last place he was successful. In this case, you will back up to the very beginning and start with charging the clicker. Just do this for as long as it takes. If you observe him closely, you will see when he is "getting" it.
You, your Grandpa, and Comanche can do this! Let us know how it goes! |
EagleGirl & Deerslayer | | 2010-09-01 05:15:57 | | ROFL Jane! Do you give him wine and cheese as a treat? :)
Oh, you have one of the cool clickers with the button. I just have the box clicker. I'd like to get a button clicker - I wonder if it would be easier to work with? Sometimes I have to use both my hands, so I just use a lip pop as a "click". I am simply no good at clicking with my tongue. Well, I suppose one can't do everything! |
EagleGirl & Deerslayer | | 2010-09-01 22:31:43 | | | No, no, Ajax - nothing to be sorry about. We are all helping one another here! I just happened to read it so I answered it; I hope that was all right! We are all going to know different things, and I'm glad we can help each other. I hope you are able to get a clicker! |
EagleGirl & Deerslayer | | 2010-09-02 05:16:00 | | We have discussed charging the clicker and targeting, along with the backbone of clicker training, breaking a task down into tiny steps. We're going to talk a little bit more about that this week. You want your pony, or other animal, to always have success, and you want every clicker training session to end with success. In order to ensure this success, you need to observe your pet carefully, and structure your lessons so that he moves forward a little at a time, building up to a complete task. Wow, no problem, right? Actually, when you put it like that, it can seem more than a little intimidating, can't it? But we're going to talk about how to do this, so that you can feel confident as you work with your pet. For the purposes of this column, I am going to talk about working with a pony, but you can apply these principles to any animal.
First of all, relax, because you don't have to plan the entire "lesson" out before you go out to work. You do need to have something in mind, because you have to start somewhere, and you need a goal, but understand that you might end up changing your plans and doing something entirely different, all because you are going to observe your pony so that he can tell you what he needs. Don't panic; you will be able to do this! And so will he!
Let's say you have already charged the clicker with your pony. He understands that when he hears the click, a treat follows. He must understand this before you continue, because the click is a marker to let him know when he has exhibited the desired behavior. Because he really wants that treat, he is going to pay attention to what he was doing when he heard the click, and he is going to repeat that behavior. So, if you get out to work, and you discover by using your powers of observation that he still does not "get" what the clicker means, you need to back up and continue working on charging the clicker. You may find that you need to take several sessions just working on charging the clicker. Some animals get it almost immediately; my Welsh mule did. Other animals need more time and more practice; my appaloosa mule did, and so did my neighbor's paint gelding. This is not a race. Remember, you want your pony to have success, every time. So you are going to take as much time as you need in order to make that possible.
One of the really beautiful things about clicker training is the bond it builds between trainer and pet. Not only do you learn how to observe your pony and understand him better, he learns how to observe you and understand you better too! You will find as you continue that the two of you develop a real rapport, and become very much in tune with one another. You will learn how to pace your lessons so that your pony understands each step. This is important, because sometimes we can get excited and try to do too much too soon, and that can be overwhelming for your pony.
For instance, let's say you want to teach your pony to walk nicely on the lead. You will probably find that if you start working on that first thing, both you and your pony will become frustrated. You could come away from that lesson thinking that clicker training will not work for you or your pony. That is not so. It can and will work for both of you. But you must be patient and take the time that is needed to get your pony comfortable with the clicker.
So, you want to charge the clicker before you do anything else. Take your time, and make sure your pony gets it. Do you want to "test" him to make sure? That's a great idea. So, walk off a little ways and let him come with you. If he doesn't, that's okay too; just go back to him, click and treat. You can do this several times and then stop, or you can stand and pet him for a little while, every once in a while clicking and treating. He doesn't have to DO anything when you are charging the clicker. You are simply teaching him that when he hears the click a treat is forthcoming.
Okay, you have spent as much time as needed to charge that clicker, and when your pony hears the click, he looks for the treat. So now you are ready to move on. But do you see how we have backed up and reinforced the concept of "click and treat"? Now that we know he has "gotten" it, we can continue with the next step. We discussed targeting last week, and if you want to introduce targeting next, that is a fine plan. But if you really, really want to teach your pony something else, then you can work on that next. Just remember that no matter what you are working on, you want to start at the very beginning and take tiny, tiny steps.
So, we are working with that pony that you want to teach to walk on the lead. Think about all that is involved in that, and start with the very first step. You might think that the first step is stepping off with your pony and having him step off after you. But that is not the first step. In fact, that is way down the line. Before you can step off with your pony, you have to get the halter on him. And before you can get the halter on him, he has to stand still while you put the halter on him. But before that happens, you have to be able to walk up to him and have him stay put. Do you see how we have worked backwards from the desired behavior to the very beginning? It's like solving a maze. Sometimes you have to go to the end of the maze and backtrack and work your way to the front.
Now we know the first thing we are going to work on. We are going to work on walking up to our pony. So leave the pen, or whatever area in which you are working. Then go back in. If you can walk right up to your pony, great. Walk up and as soon as you reach his head, click and treat. If your pony moves away when you approach him, then you need to work on teaching him to let you approach him. Step towards him, observing him carefully. Watch for any sign that he is about to turn away and move off. The key is to click BEFORE he starts moving away. So if you think he might be getting ready to turn away, then stop moving and click. Then hold out his treat. He might walk up and get it, or you might have to move towards him. If he will take the treat, let him. Then turn around and walk off. Don't pet him, don't stand there after you treat him, just turn around and leave. He might follow you, but it's okay if he doesn't. After you are away, turn back towards him and stand for a moment, then begin to approach him again. Keep following this same procedure until your pony stands and lets you approach him.
The behavior you want the pony to exhibit is to stand still and let you approach him. You might have to get to that point in increments, which is why you click before he moves away. The click tells him that good things happen when he stands still. You will gradually be able to move closer and closer, until you can walk up to him and he stays put. But remember you are taking tiny steps, always observing your pony so that you can ensure his success.
You might find that you can walk up almost close enough to touch your pony before he walks off. But you might find that as soon as you take a step towards him he takes a hike. This is where observing comes into play. WATCH your pony. You will get to the point where you are able to tell when he is thinking about leaving. And you will click BEFORE that happens. Take as long as you need to teach your pony to stand while you approach him. He might get it in one lesson, or it might take weeks. Most ponies will probably be somewhere in between those two extremes. Remember, your pony will progress at his own pace. Your job is to observe him so you know what that pace is.
If you have a pony that will not even let you come up to give him a treat, then you need to set up a place where you can put his treat. You can hang a bucket on the fence, and charge the clicker using the bucket. Click, then drop a treat in the bucket and move away so the pony can come get it. As long as the pony will not let you close enough to treat him by hand, you will need to use the treat station. If you have a flat surface nearby, you can lay the treat on it and then move so the pony can access it. This method, using a treat station, is handy with ponies that have been abused or that have not been handled much. The number one thing you want is for your pony to feel SAFE. And when your pony feels safe, then you are much safer as well. Always move slowly enough so that your pony is comfortable. You will be amazed at the bond and the level of trust this will build between you and your pony. Just be patient. Good things come to those who wait.
Next week, we will continue talking about training a pony to walk nicely on a lead, and how to break lessons down into tiny steps. Happy clicking! |
EagleGirl & Deerslayer | | 2010-09-03 08:39:41 | | | HELP: need cheap clicker for my horse!!!!! (He stopped biting! Yes Yes Yes! | 
Comanche1999 & Dancer | | 2010-09-08 21:30:43 | | | Yay Comanche! Now, tell us how you did it! How did you work with him to teach him to not bite? We want to know! And we are so proud of both of you! |
EagleGirl & Deerslayer | | 2010-09-09 05:35:13 | | I got my clicker in the pet section of the dollor store for $1 :) it even came with a stretchy wristband:)
yay! | 
horseygirl00012 & Jasper | | 2010-09-09 05:40:31 | | Wow - how cool! I am going to have to drop by the dollar store and see if I can find one. I have three clickers (I got a couple of extra), but I could surely use a new wrist coil. They are expensive!
I have looked up the i-click on the internet, and it looks like a great clicker. It is on my list of things that I want to get! |
EagleGirl & Deerslayer | | 2010-09-09 21:33:15 | | Clicker Column Wiggins Weekly Volume 4 Number 10, September 11, 2010
Last week's column dealt with working backwards to figure out where we need to start, and with breaking a lesson down into small steps. We talked about working on approaching your pony, and clicking and treating each time you were able to move a little closer and have him stand still. You need to take as long as the pony needs to work on this. Every animal has his own timetable.
This week, let's continue looking at how to break down a lesson, and analyze what needs to be taught. Let's say that now you can approach your pony and he will stand like a rock while you walk up to him and pet him. Or, better yet, he comes up to you! Now, the next step in teaching your pony to lead nicely is actually getting the halter on him. Before you can do that, you have to be able to get the halter near him. Let's say that he doesn't know how to let you put on a halter, so you have to start from scratch. The first thing you want to do is let him see the halter. So you are going to use the halter as a target. If you have already taught targeting with something else, this will be a piece of cake. If you have not, this will accomplish two things: it will acquaint him with the halter, and it will teach him to target.
Walk up to your pony, pet him, then click and treat. Turn around, then repeat. Do this several times because this is something he is already familiar with and successful at. Then take the halter from your arm, very slowly, and hold it up. Don't move it towards him, just hold it up where he can see it. Click, put it down, and treat. Repeat. If he shies away from it, back up (in your lesson, not physically) and start over at the last place he was successful, which was where you walked up to him and he stood still. Walk up, click, and treat. Walk away. Repeat. After several times, walk up, click, treat, carefully hold up the halter so he can see it, click, put the halter down, and treat. Continue in this way until he stands still when he sees the halter.
Now move one tiny step forward. Hold the halter up longer. Click and treat. Repeat several times. Now move one more tiny step forward. Hold the halter a little longer, and give him a chance to sniff it. If he doesn't, then you can move it ever so slightly towards him. As soon as you move it just an inch or even less, click, put it down, then treat. Repeat several times. The next tiny step is to move it just a little more before you click and treat. Continue in this way until you have the halter right up where he can sniff it.
Most ponies will by this time have at least moved their muzzles towards it a little. If your pony makes ANY move towards the halter, click immediately, put it down, and treat. Remember, your lesson is based on your observations, so OBSERVE your pony to see what he needs and what he is ready for.
The first time your pony touches the halter on his own, click, put it down, then offer a jackpot treat, such as a slice of apple, a big piece of carrot, or a commercial horse treat. Just use something that he really, really likes and that is special. You want him to realize that what he did was really good! Now that he has been successful, repeat this step several times, using your normal treats. Once he is consistently touching the halter when you hold it up, you can teach him to target on cue. He is now exhibiting the behavior, so you only have to put the cue with it. He will quickly make the association. So hold up the halter, and right before he touches it say, "Touch it." You might prefer to say something else, but "Touch it" is a really good cue. Then click as soon as he touches it. Repeat several times, or as long as he is doing well and enjoying himself. Again, OBSERVE so that you can end the lesson before he has had enough. This is kind of like the old show business adage - "Leave them wanting more!" You can move the halter around a bit, having him touch it right in front of him, a little higher, a little lower, to the left, to the right. The LAST time you have him touch it, click and give him a jackpot treat again. This lets him end the lesson with a "good taste" in his mouth, literally.
If your pony simply will not make an attempt to touch the halter, you can touch him with the halter. You will simply keep moving the halter closer and closer to him, until you are able to just touch his muzzle (or neck, or cheek, or wherever he is the most comfortable) with it. The instant the halter makes contact with him, click, remove the halter, then treat. Proceed as described above, until he is comfortable with having you touch him with the halter. Then you can work on having him touch the halter.
You will follow the same procedure to teach him to let you put the halter on. Once he is comfortable with it, and doesn't mind it touching him, you can start touching it to his muzzle, then sliding it very slightly up, clicking, removing it, and treating. You will just proceed tiny step by tiny step. Each situation will be unique, but basically you will work to slide the nosepiece on, get him comfortable with it, moving the poll strap up the right cheek, over the poll, the buckle strap up the left cheek, and the poll strap into the buckle. You will need to take all the time your pony needs, and watch him for clues as to what you need to do next.
You might accomplish this all in one session, or it could take weeks to do. Observe your pony and he will tell you how fast he needs to go. Don't be impatient. What we are going for here is comfort and calm, and having the lesson stick.
Do you have to do it exactly the way I suggested? Well, no. You see, you are there working with your pony, and I am here looking at the computer screen and typing on the keyboard. Which of us is going to be in a position to make the final adjustments and take the necessary steps? You are. But I hope that this gives you an idea of just how you can analyze your task and break it down into tiny steps, building on one success at a time.
Until next time, happy clicking! |
EagleGirl & Deerslayer | | 2010-09-10 06:37:42 | |
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