(VICT) Re: Recall, was Outside
- From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:26:07 -0400
Hi, Dar and Everyone,
Dar, I just wanted to agree with Ginger in what she said about being mindful
of what behavior in the dog we are reinforcing with the click. However, I
do also want to add that if you are just beginning to work on the off-leash
recall, and if your dog is perhaps not coming as fast as you would like it
to come to you, then you can click when the dog just turns and begins to
come toward you.
In order to do this, you may need a bell or jingling tags on your dog's
collar. Then you can turn the dog loose in a fenced area, after a short
while, call your dog, and when you hear the dog turn toward you and begin to
come closer, you can click and even reach into your pocket or pouch and take
out the treat and hold it out toward the dog. This will reinforce the
behavior of turning and coming toward you when she hears the recall cue, and
it will encourage her to get to you quickly for the treat. Of course, you
can have the dog sit and take the treat politely only when you offer it to
her, as you don't want the dog to learn to run up and snatch the treat from
your hand.
Once the dog is coming quickly to you upon the cue, you can wait longer
before you click, until she will come all the way to you quickly in
anticipation of the click and treat.
Just remember that the click is a reinforcer. It is not a cue. The click
means that the behavior is complete and the reward has been earned.
Good luck, and enjoy the outdoors in the lovely spring weather!
Ann
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ginger Kutsch" <GingerKutsch@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 10:45 AM
Subject: (VICT) Re: Outside
> Hi Dar,
>
> Thought I would jump in here from my usual lurk mode! I've actually been
> "lurking" off and on for years when time permits. I enjoy reading Ann's
> helpful advice about clicker training and that of others on this list.
>
> Anyway, Glad you are having such a great time with clicker training. In
> your
> post you said, "while sitting in our back yard, and I am letting Goldie
> run
> around I would
> click and he would come." If, in fact, you are saying that you are using
> the click sound to get your dog to come to you, rather than calling him
> first and then clicking when he arrives, I thought I would caution you
> against that.
>
> Using the clicker sound to get your dog to come or to distract it from
> interesting things can eventually cause problems.
>
> It's very tempting to use a click sound when we see how quickly our dogs
> respond to us when they hear that noise. But in reality, if we continue to
> use the click over and over again to "call" our dogs, we will eventually
> teach our dogs the behavior of staying away or looking for distractions
> rather then teaching the behavior of coming.
>
> For example, when I let my dog out back, she likes to watch for the
> squirrels or birds that are often perched on our privacy fence. If I
> clicked
> while she was watching a squirrel, even if my intent was just to "call" my
> dog, I would inadvertently be reinforcing the behavior of squirrel
> watching,
> not the behavior of coming. Sure, she might come to get her treat, but
> the
> only thing I am teaching her is to watch squirrels.not a good thing for
> guide dogs! LOL!
>
> I have found that it's always helpful to be thinking, "what am I
> reinforcing?" This way I can be sure to only click for behavior I want!
>
> Good luck,
>
> Ginger
>
>
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