990 S. Tower Road ... Edinburg, TX 78542
(956) 384 - 9301
pawsandclawsedinburg@gmail.com
www.pawsandclawsrgv.com
Suzan Bunney is a Certified Karen Pryor Trainer and offers lessons at Paws and Claws Pet Resort.
Modifying Pet Behaviors
A series of articles by Suzan BunneyJune 2014 ...
Well-Trained Pets Are Just a Click Away
Originally published in the Times Picayune, December 16, 2004
Does your dog look at you
cockeyed when you ask him
to sit? Does your cat use your
couch as a scratching post? If
you answered yes, treat yourself
to a clicker kit.
Clicker training is all the rage, and it really works. For many years, clickers or whistles were used to train marine mammals. Punishment, usually our typical method for training others, is futile when working with giant animals that cannot be physically controlled. One of the founders of clicker training, Karen Pryor, defines the technique as "a science-based system for teaching behavior with positive reinforcement. You use a marker signal to tell the animal when it's doing the action that will pay off."
Many years ago, Pryor wrote the book Don't Shoot the Dog, the most referenced book on positive reinforcement training in the industry.
Clicker training is all the rage, and it really works. For many years, clickers or whistles were used to train marine mammals. Punishment, usually our typical method for training others, is futile when working with giant animals that cannot be physically controlled. One of the founders of clicker training, Karen Pryor, defines the technique as "a science-based system for teaching behavior with positive reinforcement. You use a marker signal to tell the animal when it's doing the action that will pay off."
Many years ago, Pryor wrote the book Don't Shoot the Dog, the most referenced book on positive reinforcement training in the industry.
She actually wrote it to help
people train other people.
Pryor wants to help parents
get to a place where they
"never have to yell at a child
again." "Punishment is not
the way to get things done,"
she said.
Shaping behaviors through positive reinforcement is a mind-bending experience. We are accustomed to rewarding good results and punishing mistakes.
In clicker training, you watch for the behavior you're seeking, mark the instant it happens with a click, and pay off with a treat. "You focus on building behavior, not stopping behavior. Instead of yelling at the dog for jumping up, you click it for sitting," Pryor said. "Instead of kicking the horse to make it go, you click it for walking. Then, click by click, you shape longer sits, or more walking, until you have the final results you want.
Shaping behaviors through positive reinforcement is a mind-bending experience. We are accustomed to rewarding good results and punishing mistakes.
In clicker training, you watch for the behavior you're seeking, mark the instant it happens with a click, and pay off with a treat. "You focus on building behavior, not stopping behavior. Instead of yelling at the dog for jumping up, you click it for sitting," Pryor said. "Instead of kicking the horse to make it go, you click it for walking. Then, click by click, you shape longer sits, or more walking, until you have the final results you want.
Once
the behavior is learned, you
keep it going with praise and
approval, and save the clicker
and treats for the next new
thing you want to train."
To practice your skills, have fun by making clicker training a family activity. One family member can be the trainee while the rest of the family decides what they want to train. Each time the person gets closer to what the family is seeking, click to reward. Your trainee will soon be demonstrating the behavior you set out to teach.
To practice your skills, have fun by making clicker training a family activity. One family member can be the trainee while the rest of the family decides what they want to train. Each time the person gets closer to what the family is seeking, click to reward. Your trainee will soon be demonstrating the behavior you set out to teach.
When most of us are introduced
to the concept of training, it's all
about telling the dog what to do:
sit, lie down, come here, get off,
and (maybe) roll over, wave, or
shake. But what many of us really
want is a dog that just seems to
know what to do - like sit at the
door before you let Fido go out to
potty, or to sit and wait for you to
put his dinner on the floor before
racing for the bowl, or to sit when
he sees you pick up his leash so
you can attach it to his collar or
harness. All of these behaviors is
what makes our pet a well-mannered
and enjoyable member of
our household.
"But I don't have time to train my dog every day!" you might say. You can work with your
"But I don't have time to train my dog every day!" you might say. You can work with your
dog in
1-2 minute increments and still
achieve great results. Keep practice
sessions short. Much more is
learned in three sessions of five
minutes each than in an hour of
boring repetition. You can get dramatic
results, and teach your pet
many new things, by fitting a few
clicks a day here and there in your
normal routine.
Train at mealtimes - before you put his bowl of dry food down, grab 10 pieces of kibble and use those for training a behavior. So if you feed twice a day, there's two training sessions - "sit", "down" or "leave it" as you are putting his food bowl down are easy behaviors to train at mealtime.
Train at mealtimes - before you put his bowl of dry food down, grab 10 pieces of kibble and use those for training a behavior. So if you feed twice a day, there's two training sessions - "sit", "down" or "leave it" as you are putting his food bowl down are easy behaviors to train at mealtime.
Train during a TV commercial -
commercials tend to run at 5 least
minutes so if you train during 2
commercials, you've got another
10 minutes of training done! You
could teach your dog to "Go to
Your Bed", work on "Come" using
targeting or "Wait" at the door
(to prevent 'door dashing'), or to
work on "Sit/Stay" (perfect for
working up from several seconds
to the full commercial duration!).
So, whether you are enrolled in a
dog training class or training on
your own, it's easy to train your
dog for 15 minutes a day. And
don't beat yourself up if you skip
training a day or two. You might
even discover your dog performs
better after the break!
What is Clicker Training?
Clicker training is a science-based
method that uses positive reinforcement
as the main teaching
tool. The trainer uses a handheld
clicker to tell the dog, "Yes! That
was right" at the precise moment
he performs the correct action.
The dog gets a reward immediately
after every click, which soon
builds a positive association with
the click.
The trainer clicks at the moment the behavior occurs: the horse raises its hoof, the trainer clicks simultaneously. The dog sits, the trainer clicks. Clicking is like taking a picture of the behavior the trainer wishes to reinforce. After "taking the picture," the trainer gives the animal something it likes, usually a small piece of food but sometimes play, petting, or other rewards.
Very soon (sometimes within two or three clicks), an animal will associate the sound of the click with something it likes: the reward.
The trainer clicks at the moment the behavior occurs: the horse raises its hoof, the trainer clicks simultaneously. The dog sits, the trainer clicks. Clicking is like taking a picture of the behavior the trainer wishes to reinforce. After "taking the picture," the trainer gives the animal something it likes, usually a small piece of food but sometimes play, petting, or other rewards.
Very soon (sometimes within two or three clicks), an animal will associate the sound of the click with something it likes: the reward.
Because
animals understand precisely
which action earned the click
and their reward, they learn new
behaviors quickly, easily, and enthusiastically.
The click is so precise and clear
that it helps the dog sort out his
behaviors without the need for
punishment or scolding.
This helps to prevent fear, anxiety and aggression that other training methods can cause. Clicker training does not use force (such as choke collars, electronics collars, rolling a dog on his back to dominate him, etc.) You don't want your dog to obey you because he fears you because that can create a situation where the dog might be a danger to visitors or kids.
To make clicker training easier to understand, a trainer at a workshop asks the audience what task they want to teach a "learner" using clicker training. It's agreed the learner will be
This helps to prevent fear, anxiety and aggression that other training methods can cause. Clicker training does not use force (such as choke collars, electronics collars, rolling a dog on his back to dominate him, etc.) You don't want your dog to obey you because he fears you because that can create a situation where the dog might be a danger to visitors or kids.
To make clicker training easier to understand, a trainer at a workshop asks the audience what task they want to teach a "learner" using clicker training. It's agreed the learner will be
taught to sit in a
specific chair.
The trainer opens the door to allow
the "learner" to enter. The "learner"
comes in and takes a few steps
towards the trainer, who clicks and
hands her a chocolate to indicate a
correct movement. The "learner"
takes another few steps, but this
time no click from the trainer. The
"learner" backs up and tries a different
direction.
With another correct action, the
"learner" gets another click and a
chocolate.
Soon she has a pocketful of candy, and empties it to continue. When she reaches the chair, the "learner" attempts to move past it, receiving no click. Every step away from the chair results in silence. Finally, the "learner" sits down and the workshop audience claps for a successful completion of the task. Afterwards, the learner said the applause provided a feeling of achievement. Clicker training is a wonderful way to enrich your relationship with your pet - and you will both have fun in the process.
Soon she has a pocketful of candy, and empties it to continue. When she reaches the chair, the "learner" attempts to move past it, receiving no click. Every step away from the chair results in silence. Finally, the "learner" sits down and the workshop audience claps for a successful completion of the task. Afterwards, the learner said the applause provided a feeling of achievement. Clicker training is a wonderful way to enrich your relationship with your pet - and you will both have fun in the process.
A Bonus, Not a Penalty
Many people refuse to crate or kennel-train their dogs because they feel the confinement is cruel. However, a crate or kennel can give dogs a sense of security. Crate training done properly is also a highly effective management system that can be a lifesaver for dog owners. Like any training method, crating can be abused, but using a crate for appropriate time periods is helpful with a variety of important goals, including house training, preventing destructive behavior and teaching a dog to settle and relax.
If a dog is taught through positive reinforcement to love the crate, the crate becomes his own private and safe place, much like a bedroom for a child. The crate or kennel is somewhere the dog can go and not be bothered; it's a perfect destination when the dog is tired or nervous. Dogs have a natural instinct to be in a den. Many dogs take to a crate very easily.
Crate training provides a number of benefits to owners. A crate that is sized properly encourages a dog's instinct not to mess where
Many people refuse to crate or kennel-train their dogs because they feel the confinement is cruel. However, a crate or kennel can give dogs a sense of security. Crate training done properly is also a highly effective management system that can be a lifesaver for dog owners. Like any training method, crating can be abused, but using a crate for appropriate time periods is helpful with a variety of important goals, including house training, preventing destructive behavior and teaching a dog to settle and relax.
If a dog is taught through positive reinforcement to love the crate, the crate becomes his own private and safe place, much like a bedroom for a child. The crate or kennel is somewhere the dog can go and not be bothered; it's a perfect destination when the dog is tired or nervous. Dogs have a natural instinct to be in a den. Many dogs take to a crate very easily.
Crate training provides a number of benefits to owners. A crate that is sized properly encourages a dog's instinct not to mess where
he sleeps,
helping to teach the dog bladder
and bowel control. This
tendency to view the crate as
a clean place is a huge benefit
in house training a new rescue
dog or puppy, of course!
Using a crate prevents a dog or pup from getting into trouble when you can't supervise directly. Those times might include at night, when you are at work (provided the work day is not too long and the dog gets exercise before and after), when you are busy cooking, or any other time when your attention is elsewhere than directly on your dog.
Crate training also teaches puppies and excitable dogs to expect and enjoy some down time, and helps teach relaxed behavior. Dogs and pups can be put into a crate with a yummy and safe chew or stuffed Kong to keep them secure, relaxed, and out of mischief for periods of time.
Selecting the right size crate can be confusing. Some people are inclined to choose a large-sized crate to give the dog lots of room. If you pick a crate that is too large, your dog may use a portion of the crate as a toilet.
Using a crate prevents a dog or pup from getting into trouble when you can't supervise directly. Those times might include at night, when you are at work (provided the work day is not too long and the dog gets exercise before and after), when you are busy cooking, or any other time when your attention is elsewhere than directly on your dog.
Crate training also teaches puppies and excitable dogs to expect and enjoy some down time, and helps teach relaxed behavior. Dogs and pups can be put into a crate with a yummy and safe chew or stuffed Kong to keep them secure, relaxed, and out of mischief for periods of time.
Selecting the right size crate can be confusing. Some people are inclined to choose a large-sized crate to give the dog lots of room. If you pick a crate that is too large, your dog may use a portion of the crate as a toilet.
Pick a crate
that is just large enough for
your dog to stand up, turn
around, and lay down comfortably,
at least until the dog
is house trained.
Younger puppies cannot be left in a crate for as long as 8 hours. Physically, puppies cannot hold their bladders long enough, and it isn't fair to ask for that. A good general rule to follow is one hour in the crate for each month of age. A three-month-old puppy should be fine in the crate for three hours. Once your dog is crate trained and house trained fully, you can leave the dog in a crate for up to 8 hours. The dog should have good exercise before and after, and should be left in the crate with something safe to occupy his attention.
Your dog will likely spend most of the time sleeping! How well your dog accepts the crate is largely dependent on how you introduce him to the crate and by using positive reinforcement training you can teach him to be calm while in the crate.
Younger puppies cannot be left in a crate for as long as 8 hours. Physically, puppies cannot hold their bladders long enough, and it isn't fair to ask for that. A good general rule to follow is one hour in the crate for each month of age. A three-month-old puppy should be fine in the crate for three hours. Once your dog is crate trained and house trained fully, you can leave the dog in a crate for up to 8 hours. The dog should have good exercise before and after, and should be left in the crate with something safe to occupy his attention.
Your dog will likely spend most of the time sleeping! How well your dog accepts the crate is largely dependent on how you introduce him to the crate and by using positive reinforcement training you can teach him to be calm while in the crate.
Change Up The Routine
What is your dog's favorite time of the day? For my dogs, it's mealtime! If I had my dogs rank their favorite things on a scale of 1-10, I'm sure eating would be a 15. Nothing can make my dogs' tails wag faster than seeing me reach for the kibble. In the past, the dogs would drool, jump up and down, bark, run in circles, run around the room, and create a general ruckus - all because they were excited to see their food bowls. Feeding from a bowl was a convenient routine for me, but after years of putting food in a bowl for my dogs to gulp down in less than a minute, I realized that I was wasting fantastic opportunities. If I made some changes, I could bond with my dogs, challenge them mentally, and extend their happiness past 60 seconds. There are so many ways to enrich a dog's life during mealtime.
There are a variety of choices for dispensing food for your dog, all more exciting than placing a lump of food in a bowl. A number of these options are toys that can even be used while your dog is crated, to make crate time more enjoyable.
Buster Cubes,Tug-A-Jugs, Kibble Nibbler, Kong Wobblers, and other toys are designed to hold varying amounts of dry food or treats. They dispense one or two pieces of food at a time as the dog plays with the toy. (If you feed canned or raw foods, try stuffing a KONG toy or a sterilized femur bone.)
Treat-dispensing toys are fantastic both for releasing constructive energy in active dogs and for getting more sedentary dogs up and moving. They relieve boredom and offer an alternative behavior for dogs prone to inappropriate chewing. The toys can even relieve stress in some dogs by providing an outlet for nervous energy, giving the dog something else to focus on instead of the worry. Treat-dispensing toys also help dogs learn to think and problem-solve as they discover new ways to make the toys deliver food. They provide enrichment and nourishment all in one!
There is a full line of puzzle toys to challenge your pup. Dogs learn to pull levers, push blocks, rotate disks, and remove pieces to get to food. Many toys offer ways to increase the difficulty of obtaining food so that your dog
What is your dog's favorite time of the day? For my dogs, it's mealtime! If I had my dogs rank their favorite things on a scale of 1-10, I'm sure eating would be a 15. Nothing can make my dogs' tails wag faster than seeing me reach for the kibble. In the past, the dogs would drool, jump up and down, bark, run in circles, run around the room, and create a general ruckus - all because they were excited to see their food bowls. Feeding from a bowl was a convenient routine for me, but after years of putting food in a bowl for my dogs to gulp down in less than a minute, I realized that I was wasting fantastic opportunities. If I made some changes, I could bond with my dogs, challenge them mentally, and extend their happiness past 60 seconds. There are so many ways to enrich a dog's life during mealtime.
There are a variety of choices for dispensing food for your dog, all more exciting than placing a lump of food in a bowl. A number of these options are toys that can even be used while your dog is crated, to make crate time more enjoyable.
Buster Cubes,Tug-A-Jugs, Kibble Nibbler, Kong Wobblers, and other toys are designed to hold varying amounts of dry food or treats. They dispense one or two pieces of food at a time as the dog plays with the toy. (If you feed canned or raw foods, try stuffing a KONG toy or a sterilized femur bone.)
Treat-dispensing toys are fantastic both for releasing constructive energy in active dogs and for getting more sedentary dogs up and moving. They relieve boredom and offer an alternative behavior for dogs prone to inappropriate chewing. The toys can even relieve stress in some dogs by providing an outlet for nervous energy, giving the dog something else to focus on instead of the worry. Treat-dispensing toys also help dogs learn to think and problem-solve as they discover new ways to make the toys deliver food. They provide enrichment and nourishment all in one!
There is a full line of puzzle toys to challenge your pup. Dogs learn to pull levers, push blocks, rotate disks, and remove pieces to get to food. Many toys offer ways to increase the difficulty of obtaining food so that your dog
continues to be challenged
even after discovering how
the toy works.
Hide and Seek
Since dogs love to seek out food, a game of hide and seek can be the perfect way to eat a meal. Hide little piles of food in various locations around your house. On the bottom shelf of the bookcase, behind the chair, under the coffee table, and beside the couch are all good places to start. Lead your dog into the room and tell him to "go find." You may have to point out the first hiding places, but soon your dog will learn to use his keen canine nose to find the others. As your dog learns how to play the game, gradually increase the difficulty by hiding treats in higher or harder-to-reach places.
Dinner and a show
We would all love to have more time to train our pets, but sometimes it's tough to fit training time into a busy day. The solution is to turn mealtime into a training session. When you feed your dog each day, an extra five minutes for training time is easy to work into your schedule. And we clicker trainers know that you can accomplish a lot in a five-minute session!
Does your dog know some fun tricks or behaviors? Have him show off for you. Ask him for sit, down, or shake. Reward each behavior with a few pieces of kibble or, if you feed raw or canned food, present the food in a food tube or on a spoon. Does your dog need help with leash walking skills? Teach him that hanging out on your left side is a fun place to be by feeding his meal from there. Walk around your house and hand out kibble by your left leg - soon your pup will be glued to your side! Why stop at old tricks? Imagine how many new things you could teach your dog if you worked with him at every meal. Sometimes I have something particular in mind that I want to train my dogs to do; other times I will just sit down and see what they offer. Be creative! A head dip can become "shame," looking up can become "where are the airplanes?" My dog Karma knows that she should look snooty (by looking over her shoulder) when I ask, "Are you a snob?" These three new tricks are easy to capture with just a head movement. After that, the possibilities are endless! Two five-minute sessions a day can produce a lot of tricks.
Hide and Seek
Since dogs love to seek out food, a game of hide and seek can be the perfect way to eat a meal. Hide little piles of food in various locations around your house. On the bottom shelf of the bookcase, behind the chair, under the coffee table, and beside the couch are all good places to start. Lead your dog into the room and tell him to "go find." You may have to point out the first hiding places, but soon your dog will learn to use his keen canine nose to find the others. As your dog learns how to play the game, gradually increase the difficulty by hiding treats in higher or harder-to-reach places.
Dinner and a show
We would all love to have more time to train our pets, but sometimes it's tough to fit training time into a busy day. The solution is to turn mealtime into a training session. When you feed your dog each day, an extra five minutes for training time is easy to work into your schedule. And we clicker trainers know that you can accomplish a lot in a five-minute session!
Does your dog know some fun tricks or behaviors? Have him show off for you. Ask him for sit, down, or shake. Reward each behavior with a few pieces of kibble or, if you feed raw or canned food, present the food in a food tube or on a spoon. Does your dog need help with leash walking skills? Teach him that hanging out on your left side is a fun place to be by feeding his meal from there. Walk around your house and hand out kibble by your left leg - soon your pup will be glued to your side! Why stop at old tricks? Imagine how many new things you could teach your dog if you worked with him at every meal. Sometimes I have something particular in mind that I want to train my dogs to do; other times I will just sit down and see what they offer. Be creative! A head dip can become "shame," looking up can become "where are the airplanes?" My dog Karma knows that she should look snooty (by looking over her shoulder) when I ask, "Are you a snob?" These three new tricks are easy to capture with just a head movement. After that, the possibilities are endless! Two five-minute sessions a day can produce a lot of tricks.
Outdoor Adventures
For fun in the sun, there are ways to feed your dog outside. In the warmer months, cool your dog off with a treat-dispensing "pupsicle!" Fill a small plastic bucket with water and throw in bits of meat, treats, KONGS stuffed with peanut butter, or canned or raw food. Freeze until solid, pop the frozen block out of the container, and place it outside on a cookie sheet. Your dog will enjoy chewing and licking the ice, discovering tasty treats and toys as the ice melts. Depending on the size of the ice block and the heat of the day, this treat can provide hours of fun for your pup! If your dog enjoys treat-dispensing toys inside, he will love them outside as well. Many toys are durable enough for outdoor play. Grass, trees, rocks, and other elements of nature can provide a more challenging surface to play on than your carpet or wood floors.
Benefits Galore
When you feed your dog in a training session, you're not only training your dog, but building a stronger bond. Moving beyond the bowl and finding new ways to feed your dog produces many benefits. Boredom and destructive behaviors decrease while creativity and constructive activity increases. If your dog eats very quickly, taking away the bowl and feeding via a puzzle toy, treat dispenser, or by hand in a training session will slow down your dog and decrease the likelihood of bloat, poor digestion, and other problems associated with fast ingestion. Best of all, when you feed your dog in a training session, you're not only training your dog, but building a stronger bond. Your dog loves to eat, and loves to find ways to find food. When you hand-feed your dog during his meal, you become the source of that coveted meal. Your dog will enjoy spending this quality time with you, and you will enjoy spending the extra special time with him!
For fun in the sun, there are ways to feed your dog outside. In the warmer months, cool your dog off with a treat-dispensing "pupsicle!" Fill a small plastic bucket with water and throw in bits of meat, treats, KONGS stuffed with peanut butter, or canned or raw food. Freeze until solid, pop the frozen block out of the container, and place it outside on a cookie sheet. Your dog will enjoy chewing and licking the ice, discovering tasty treats and toys as the ice melts. Depending on the size of the ice block and the heat of the day, this treat can provide hours of fun for your pup! If your dog enjoys treat-dispensing toys inside, he will love them outside as well. Many toys are durable enough for outdoor play. Grass, trees, rocks, and other elements of nature can provide a more challenging surface to play on than your carpet or wood floors.
Benefits Galore
When you feed your dog in a training session, you're not only training your dog, but building a stronger bond. Moving beyond the bowl and finding new ways to feed your dog produces many benefits. Boredom and destructive behaviors decrease while creativity and constructive activity increases. If your dog eats very quickly, taking away the bowl and feeding via a puzzle toy, treat dispenser, or by hand in a training session will slow down your dog and decrease the likelihood of bloat, poor digestion, and other problems associated with fast ingestion. Best of all, when you feed your dog in a training session, you're not only training your dog, but building a stronger bond. Your dog loves to eat, and loves to find ways to find food. When you hand-feed your dog during his meal, you become the source of that coveted meal. Your dog will enjoy spending this quality time with you, and you will enjoy spending the extra special time with him!