Subject: Clicker training (was: peace in my lifetime) "Click, Treat, Murder" Subject: Sad news (Samson)

I'm absolutely fascinated with this clicker business.

I guess I don't have the right kind of imagination, but I
would be completely flummoxed if I had to try to think of
ways to get the dog to perform a particular action that
wasn't totally simple like sit, or something.

But it took about 10 minutes and a dozen bits of kibble
last night to train Samson to sit up from laying down,
and then the same again for him to learn 'stand up' (on
his back legs - not *stay* up, just rise on his back legs
and down again) from sitting. What I find so amazing is
how quickly, once he'd learned that click = treat, he will
catch on to what the required action is and repeat it.

The other very obvious thing is how much he loves training
with the clicker. Before I tried it, he never gave that
much attention in training sessions - I'd often feel it was
a bit of a battle to get him to concentrate, let alone obey.

I've taken to carrying a 'pop-up' jar lid (stand-in clicker
until the stuff I've ordered from Karen Pryor arrives) in
one pocket all the time, and a handful of kibble in the other,
so we can do a bit of training at the drop of a hat.

Samson will often paw at my right pocket, where I keep the
clicker, until I get it out and give a few commands/treats.

He never paws at the pocket where I keep the treats,
interestingly - it's like he associates the clicker
with fun/pleasure more than he does the thing he
actually finds pleasurable.

While we're actually training, you can *see* when he
knows what brings the click. Last night, doing 'stand
up', I was holding the treat above his nose, too high
for him to reach while sitting or standing on all fours.

As soon as he stood on his back legs to get it, click &
treat. But after a couple of times, as soon as he'd done
the action - before even his front paws started going back
toward the floor again - he'd look away from the treat and
at the clicker. Was really interesting to see his thought
processes so clearly.

And if he occasionally struggles to realise what's
required, he paws at the clicker - as if to say
'come *on* then!' - and not at my treat- pocket.

I'm loving this - can't wait for the book to arrive
so I can get a better idea of how to do this right.

BTW, when you've finished with the Spector book, can
I borrow it? I'll lend you 'Clicker Training for Dogs'
in return, when I've read it. Since we're not far away
from each other, we could meet up and do a swap, or
otherwise I can send you my address.