(VICT) Clicker Training and Clicker Handling; was: Down and under
- From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:01:29 -0400
Hi, Lynda and Everyone,
Since I consider my guide to be clicker handled as well as clicker trained,
I never give up the use of click and reward. I just build longer chains of
behavior that occur before the c/t. For example, when the guide is first
being trained to walk down the sidewalk, guide around obstacles, stop at
down curbs, watch out for traffic checks while crossing the street, cross
the street straight to the opposite curb, stop again at the up curb, find
the bus stop, guide me up the bus steps, find an empty seat, and get into
position for riding on the bus, I would train each of these tasks separately
and c/t for each successful completion of that one step. Later I would
string together two consecutive tasks, such as guiding straight down the
sidewalk and going around an obstacle, and c/t when the guide brought me
back to the line of travel after the obstacle. Then I would put together a
couple of these pairs of behaviors--walk straight down the sidewalk, go
around an obstacle, take me back to the line of travel, walk straight to the
curb, stop at the curb--then c/t at the natural pausing place at the down
curb.
At the intermediate points, I would use praise and possibly a pat, and I
would throw in a c/t once in a while if an obstacle took some particular
thought or planning or if there was something unusual or spooky that the
guide worked wonderfully around.
During this time when certain tasks are becoming routine, there may be other
tasks which I am working on establishing with my guide, and I would c/t for
each instance of those behaviors. For example, I might be working on my
guide's not reacting to a person who wants to pat her or ignoring a dog
being walked on leash along the same sidewalk. These behaviors I would c/t
whenever they occur.
The "down and under" is a natural conclusion of a sequence that begins at
the bus stop and continues through finding the bus door, guiding up the
steps of the bus, pausing while I pay the fare, finding a seat, avoiding or
waiting for other passengers to clear the aisle, and then going under the
indicated seat. So I would find that a logical point at which to c/t, as a
way of saying "thank you" to my guide.
Often a pat and some gentle words will be plenty of reward for the guide.
But a tiny treat is always welcome, and it keeps the behavior chain strong,
and lets the dog know that good things happen on busses, and busses are nice
places to be.
After the early days of training, I use a tongue click rather than the
mechanical clicker, so my clicker is always with me, always in position to
use, and leaves my hands free for other uses. I carry a few "ordinary"
treats in my pocket, and usually a few "jackpot" treats as well. So if I
want to mark a particularly wonderfully executed maneuver or just make sure
that guiding continues to be joyful and rewarding work for my guide, I have
a way to tell her that I really appreciate what she does for me and a way to
keep her creativity and interest high.
A typical walk for me is the slightly more than a mile walk from my home to
the barn where my riding horses live. The walk includes stretches where
there is sidewalk and stretches of sidewalkless roads. There are
residential streets and main streets to cross, streets with and without
traffic signals, parking lot entrances, and even a dirt road. There are
left turns and right turns and lots of landmarks to find. There are signal
buttons to find, construction zones to work around, people walking dogs on
leash, kids riding skateboards and roller blades, lots of people jogging or
on bicycles, cars pulling in and out of driveways, cars stopping and
sometimes not stopping at traffic signals and pulling around corners
unexpectedly. Added to all that, there are frequently people who are out
walking and who want to stop and chat and ask to pet my guide, and there are
people in passing cars who also pull up alongside us and ask to take our
picture or ask if their kids can pat the pony.
This is a walk that we do just about every day. Out of curiosity I counted
my c/t's on this walk, and I found that on average I c/t about 45 to 60
times in the mile walk, although I do not click and treat at the same spots
each day.
There are many more opportunities to c/t, of course, because every behavior
can be broken down into component parts. But 45 to 60 c/t's seem to fit
into the natural rhythm of the walk.
I use lots of praise as reinforcement between clicks, also. By contrast, I
only do something which could possibly be construed as a "correction"
perhaps one or two times in the course of this same walk.
These instances are almost invariably when Panda grabs a bite of grass as
she is walking or even trotting along. Part of me wants to simply ignore
these little snacks, especially since Panda can grab a bite and never even
break stride. But another part of me thinks that she should focus
exclusively on her guide work when we are going somewhere and not be
distracted by yummy grass by the side of the road.
So I stop when this happens; I do not jerk on the leash or harness or even
say "No"; but I lift the leash and ask Panda to rock back a few steps. Then
I ask her to go forward again, and sometimes I ask her to "leave it". When
she successfully goes a little way past the tempting spot, I click and give
her a tiny treat, because I know it is hard for her to be walking within
inches of scrumptious food without taking even a little nibble.
I think the ratio of about 50 c/t's to 1 rework is about right. It keeps
the whole experience pleasant and positive for both me and Panda, and makes
us a very happy and relaxed working team. I arrive at my destination with a
smile on my face, and Panda always seems to have a very satisfied spring in
her step. As she stops at the door of the barn, she arches her pretty neck
and gives a proud little nod of her head.
Anyway, that's how I use the clicker with my guide. Sorry for the long
description.
Best regards,
Ann
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lynda and Neema" <french@xxxxxx>
To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2007 10:36 AM
Subject: (VICT) Re: Down and under
> Neema is clicker wise too and I am wondering how long you all use the
> clicker for training a skill. After they have gotten the skill do you
> still
> click for a while longer?
>
> Lynda and Neema
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Shelley L. Rhodes" <juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: <bviclickertraining@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 10:03 PM
> Subject: (VICT) Down and under
>
>
>> O.k. so Judson learned this one over a long period of time before needing
>> it. But Gwenna is unfortunately not getting that luxury.
>>
>> So... since it has been like six years since I did this, how do you train
>> a
>>
>> Down and Under for bus seats, and chairs.
>>
>> She is fine under tables, in crates and the like, but we are having a
>> hard
>> time with buses, particularly positioning her hind feet and tail so they
>> don't get stepped on. She got stepped on yesterday and I don't want her
>> to
>> get skittish when on the bus, but I also want her to tuck her self up
>> under
>> and safely under the bus and Train seats so she doesn't get hurt.
>>
>> I was thinking, particularly since park benches around here are well, not
>> exactly ideal places to train, "Yuck" that I would just try on the buses
>> and
>> see if she could generalize. Was thinking of luring her down into the
>> right
>> position with a liver treat and c/t for the right position. She knows
>> she
>> has to lay down, but doesn't know to tuck herself under the seat.
>>
>> I do have a coffee table I could probably train with here at home, as it
>> is
>> about the right size.
>>
>> Wondering all of your's thoughts.
>>
>> Gwenna is a clicker wise dog, and we do use the clicker in our regular
>> training, I am still highly reinforcing benches, poles, and empty seats,
>> and
>> she is finding things wickedly fast.
>>
>> Just wondering how I would go about training this.
>>
>> Come to think of it, the way the benches are, I usually didn't let Judson
>> sit under them.
>>
>> I could attempt to find a fairly clean one though if that was required.
>>
>> Smile.
>>
>> Thanks for the help.
>>
>> Shelley L. Rhodes M.A., VRT, CTVI
>> and Guinevere, Golden lady Guide
>> juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Guide Dogs For the Blind Inc.
>> Graduate Alumni Association Board
>> www.guidedogs.com
>>
>> More than Any other time, When i hold a beloved book in my hand, my
>> limitations fall from me, my spirit is free.
>> - Helen Keller
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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