(VICT) Re: come back

  • From: "dmgina" <dmgina@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2007 10:21:50 -0600

Thanks for the address,
I didn't get a chance to look at the site.
Thanks again for sharing.


--Dar
wishing a
backTpack
call me at
406-259-1124
Every Saint has a past,
Every sinner has a future ,
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 8:39 PM
Subject: (VICT) Re: come back


> Hi, Dar,
>
> The people on this list, as well as many others who are blind or have low
> vision, have devised, shared, and adapted non-visual ways to train dogs 
> and
> other animals using clicker training.
>
> Could you read Sandy's Basic Clicker Lessons from the attachment I sent to
> the list with my previous post?  That document describes many non-visual
> techniques for working with our dogs using clicker training.  I hope it 
> gave
> you the idea about how it can be done.
>
> There is no reason why a totally blind person cannot use positive
> reinforcement and a yes answer signal.  Just as we can handle our guide 
> dogs
> using traditional methods, we can also handle them using positive methods.
> After all, our guides usually work right next to our sides, where it is 
> easy
> to monitor what they are doing through our tactile and auditory senses.
> Now, if we were going to try handling a sheep herding dog or a field 
> hunting
> dog, that might be more of a challenge for a blind handler.  But using
> clicker training with our guides is really no problem.
>
> The address to send messages to this list is:
>
> VI-Clicker-Trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> I hope that is what you were asking for.
>
> Ann
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "dmgina" <dmgina@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 5:48 PM
> Subject: (VICT) Re: come back
>
>
>>
>> I was told a total can't teach clicker training.
>> I don't see why not?
>> thanks,
>> I also need a message sent to me whit the address to write to this list 
>> on
>> a
>> separate line.
>> I wish to make a folder for the list.
>> When I get a chance to go to the pet store I want to get a clicker that
>> will
>> go on my wrist so that I can use my hands.
>> Hope this makes since.
>>
>> I would have the clicker down so that I could click it,
>> But that is all.
>>
>>
>> --Dar
>> wishing a
>> backTpack
>> call me at
>> 406-259-1124
>> Every Saint has a past,
>> Every sinner has a future ,
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 2:36 PM
>> Subject: (VICT) Re: come back
>>
>>
>>> Hi, Frank, (or do you prefer to be called DC?),
>>> I had just about finished writing a nice long response to your message,
>>> when
>>> my computer froze up and refused to respond.  So I had to turn it off 
>>> and
>>> back on again, and of course, the entire post I had written was gone
>>> somewhere irretrievable.  So I'll give you a shorter version this time,
>>> and
>>> if you have questions about any of the particulars, please ask.
>>>
>>> First of all, I am answering your questions on the list rather than
>>> privately, because I want you to have the benefit of the support,
>>> experience, and expertise of all the fine trainers and clicker-only
>>> handlers
>>> who are in the group.  I hope they will add their suggestions to mine 
>>> and
>>> clarify anything that is fuzzy.
>>>
>>> I can fully empathize with your struggle to save your partnership with
>>> Jake,
>>> as I went through a similar struggle with both my second and my third
>>> guide
>>> dogs.  It was a devastating experience for me, even though I had trained
>>> my
>>> pet dogs and competed with them in obedience matches, and I had worked
>>> successfully and happily with my first guide dog for nine years until 
>>> his
>>> death.
>>>
>>> I don't know whether clicker training can save the partnership between
>>> you
>>> and Jake at this point.  It is not easy to "unpoison" the poisoned cues
>>> and
>>> reestablish trust in a relationship.  But you seem to really love Jake,
>>> and
>>> you seem to have a strong commitment to the partnership.  So it is
>>> definitely worth a try.
>>>
>>> Remember:  I am not a professional guide dog trainer.  Any suggestions I
>>> may
>>> give are just my thoughts, nothing more.  You must choose the measures
>>> and
>>> techniques you use with your dog.  Only you can decide whether to follow
>>> the
>>> directions of your school and depend on them to evaluate the
>>> effectiveness
>>> of those measures and to decide whether or when to end a partnership 
>>> with
>>> a
>>> dog, or whether to try something different and see if you get better
>>> results.
>>>
>>> Anyway, I think there is a lot you can do to make things right with 
>>> Jake.
>>> The first thing I would do is find one or more really tasty treats that
>>> Jake
>>> can eat and loves, like bits of hotdog, tiny pieces of cooked chicken,
>>> tiny
>>> bits of cheese, or tiny liver snacks.  Then I would get a waist pack or
>>> treat pouch and just get into the habit of wearing it all the time with
>>> some
>>> of those yummy treats in it.
>>>
>>> I will attach to this message Sandy Foushee's Basic Clicker Lessons.
>>> Sandy
>>> is one of our group members; she is a completely clicker, service dog
>>> trainer who has also owner-trained her own guide dog.  I hope she will
>>> also
>>> jump in and give you some suggestions.
>>>
>>> Since Jake is already familiar with the clicker, you may not have to go
>>> back
>>> to the very beginning lessons with him.  But it never hurts to review,
>>> especially when you want to begin a completely new way of relating with
>>> your
>>> partner.
>>>
>>> Secondly, I would definitely stop turning Jake loose to run in unfenced
>>> areas.  He is obviously not ready for the recall under that level of
>>> stimulation.  He can get lots of exercise with his guide work, with
>>> off-duty
>>> walks on leash, and with playing inside the house or on a long leash
>>> outside.  The off leash running is obviously too stressful for you and
>>> too
>>> dangerous for Jake.  And you don't want Jake practicing undesirable
>>> behaviors like running off and not responding to your recall cues.
>>>
>>> The other thing I would do is stop using corrections with your dog.  I
>>> would
>>> use the leash and collar strictly to keep the dog within range and under
>>> control, but not jerk on the leash or use it to give corrections.
>>>
>>> I think the "touch" cue is the key to both Jake's recall and the
>>> distraction
>>> issues.  If Jake understands that the click means that he has done what
>>> you
>>> want and that it will always be followed by a yummy treat, and if he
>>> knows
>>> that mugging will not produce treats, but that performing certain
>>> behaviors
>>> will cause treats to rain down upon him, then you are ready to start
>>> building a really strong and joyful targetting or touch response.
>>>
>>> As Sandy describes in her lessons, you will start with the "touch"
>>> response
>>> at very close range and in a quiet, familiar location.  You will
>>> gradually
>>> build the response so that you can get it at greater distances, with
>>> higher
>>> levels of distraction, and with your hand at different heights and in
>>> different positions.  You will practice this behavior, always in a fun
>>> and
>>> positive way, many times a day and in many locations within your
>>> home--during play, when you want him to come to you so that you can feed
>>> him
>>> or take him out for a walk, or for any other pleasant reason.
>>>
>>> I would not use any sort of recall cue when I want to catch the dog for
>>> reasons he considers unpleasant, like a bath, ear cleaning, or nail
>>> clipping.  In those cases, I would simply go to where the dog is and 
>>> clip
>>> on
>>> the leash to lead him where I want him to go.  I would click and treat
>>> for
>>> his letting me approach and snap on the leash, and of course, during any
>>> unpleasant process, for patience and cooperation on his part.  But when
>>> you
>>> give him that "Touch!" cue and he responds to it, you want only 
>>> wonderful
>>> memorable things to happen to him, so that he will be eager to come to
>>> you
>>> from whatever he is doing and wherever he is.
>>>
>>> And, of course, you never, never want to correct or punish your dog when
>>> he
>>> responds to the cue and comes to you, no matter how angry and frustrated
>>> you
>>> are with him, and no matter what he did wrong before coming to you.  You
>>> always want coming to you to be as exciting as opening Christmas
>>> presents!
>>> You want to be the most wonderful and interesting thing in your dog's
>>> world.
>>> When he responds to the "touch" cue, you will shower him with happy 
>>> talk,
>>> hugs and pats, and delicious treats!
>>>
>>> Once he is eagerly and enthusiastically flying to you from within your
>>> apartment when he hears you say, "Jake, touch!", then you can take the
>>> show
>>> on the road.  Ask him to touch your hand with his nose when you are at
>>> work,
>>> or on the bus, or standing at the bus stop, or anywhere else you go.
>>>
>>> Once the "touch" response is really strong and consistent, then you can
>>> start using it in slightly more distracting environments.  You might
>>> start
>>> by sitting somewhere, like on a bench at the mall, where there are lots
>>> of
>>> people passing by, but not too close.  You can practice having Jake 
>>> touch
>>> your hand and get clicked and treated when no one is passing.  After
>>> several
>>> repetitions, someone might pass within his "distraction zone", and
>>> perhaps
>>> he will turn his head to watch them.  Before he can get really
>>> distracted,
>>> you will say "touch" and put your hand where Jake can very easily touch
>>> it,
>>> C/T!  Continue practicing this, until Jake automatically looks toward
>>> you,
>>> expecting the click and treat, whenever another person comes within
>>> range.
>>>
>>> It may take many months to gradually build up a reliable and consistent
>>> recall at liberty and at distance.  I would definitely keep Jake on
>>> leash,
>>> gradually increasing the length of the line, and practice recalls at
>>> gradually greater distances and with gradually greater levels of
>>> distraction.  If he fails to respond at any time, you know that you have
>>> increased the criteria too fast or that the environment has rewarded him
>>> more highly for not coming than you have rewarded him for coming.  Then
>>> you
>>> just have to drop back a few steps to a place where he is consistently
>>> responding correctly, and once again gradually build the behavior.
>>>
>>> As he becomes reliable and consistent with certain responses and
>>> situations,
>>> you can gradually reduce the value of the treats and the frequency of
>>> C/T.
>>> For example, when he reliably comes to you within the house, you can
>>> switch
>>> to kibble instead of the higher level treats and keep the "good stuff"
>>> for
>>> outside the house.  And you can begin to string together several
>>> behaviors
>>> and C/T after the last behavior in the chain.
>>>
>>> You can also use the click and treat to reward his excellent guide
>>> behaviors, so that he will begin to think of the work itself as fun and
>>> rewarding.  But I think I should save that discussion for another time.
>>> I
>>> think you will have plenty to work on for now.
>>>
>>> Do let us know how it is going and ask any questions you may have.
>>>
>>> Best of luck,
>>> Lots of Joy,
>>> Much success!
>>>
>>> Ann
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "The count" <darkcount@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007 11:12 PM
>>> Subject: (VICT) come back
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi all.
>>>> I just subscribed to the list.
>>>> Name is Frank, and am working my first dog Jake, a black lab from GDA.
>>>>
>>>> I am turning to clicker training in the hopes of saving a deteriorating
>>>> team if at all possible.
>>>>
>>>> Jake is already aclamated to the clicker, so that is not necessarily 
>>>> the
>>>> issue.
>>>> My real concernt on top of all others is that he will not come when
>>>> called if he has decided to run.
>>>> So I am turning to the list and the experts in hopes that you will be
>>>> able to help me map out a set of steps to start him in the right way.
>>>>
>>>> I was able to work with him on come from a sit sstay, or a down stay
>>>> with no problem.
>>>> Though it took a few minutes of follow and heal with the clicker in my
>>>> hand and bits of kibble.
>>>>
>>>> My real objective here is to get Jake to stop if he is getting near the
>>>> no no mark in a yard, or park, and to return to me.
>>>> The only way I know of doing this currently is to set targets as near 
>>>> as
>>>> possible to the spot, and correct violently, something which puts as
>>>> much stress and disappointment in the results on both of us.
>>>>
>>>> I live in an apartment, and currently have no acquaintances with a back
>>>> yard, so have to run Jake in a semi-enclosed area which requires that
>>>> Jake learn the no zones.
>>>>
>>>> I maybe asking too much, but I have put too much work over the last two
>>>> years into our team to loose a darn good worker like Jake.
>>>> He suffers from people and doggy distractions, yet his work with out 
>>>> the
>>>> distractions is examplery.
>>>> I was told that he would require a yard and a place to run if I was to
>>>> stay with him.
>>>>
>>>> As I have seen chiguaguas mantain enough of an attention span to 
>>>> observe
>>>> such boundaries, I can't see why I should not expect a full fledge 
>>>> black
>>>> lab who has done two years of services as a guide dog not to.
>>>>
>>>> I am sure there some of you with quite extensive training on clicker
>>>> work, and if you are willing to work with me, you got an eager student.
>>>>
>>>> My thanks in advanced.
>>>>
>>>> D C
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis --
>>> -- Type: application/msword
>>> -- File: Sandy's Clicker Lessons.doc
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>> Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.17/731 - Release Date:
>>> 3/23/2007
>>> 3:27 PM
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.17/731 - Release Date: 3/23/2007 
> 3:27 PM
> 


Other related posts: