https://youtu.be/A4OlyhMJJfc

The class I taught today was about providing contrast with change of pace. This is the phrase we used. I’m just getting over a back injury so I can’t really do fast pace yet. Had to fake it to demo for the students. I can never get a YouTube video to embed here anymore so, hope you can access it.

Your link

To embed....just take that string of letters after the "youtu.be"part and wrap around them.


Voila!!



Nice Freestyle...everyone looks relaxed! I like the three beat "step, step, jump up" thing when you cross in front of the camera in the middle (I'm sure that has a name)

Tricia ....just purchased clickers this week now in my possession. Plan to start clicker training with Hoss.
Techniques are based on a book called “When Pigs Fly”.........curious if you have an opinion or familiar with book.

Oh, you’re going to have so much fun! Kikopup, on YouTube, has THE most amazing videos on exactly how to clicker train. All free. Here’s one, then you can just subscribe to her channel.

I read the book you mention a long time ago, but don’t remember how well it teaches the actual art of clicker training. My favorite books for that, by FAR, are the Sue Ailsby TRAINING LEVELS books. Even if you only buy her first one, it is an amazing blueprint for the best techniques in using a clicker to train. She also has a free email forum you can join.

Here’s the little English Budgie Jinxy that I’m fostering (might be a fostered failure &#128525. He’s learning recall with a clicker and now has a pretty cool talking vocabulary reinforced with a clicker.

Trying Mel’s cool instructions...omg, it worked! I feel like a magician!

Looks like a lot of fun !

I think that Mr. Business would think we were playing if we done that

Thanks

Thanks so much Tricia............fun video provided.love your stuff......

Let me tell you, dogs who are clicker savvy jump for joy when you bring the clicker out. I think it’s because they can interpret the click perfectly and it’s exciting to them to be having such pure clear communication with us.

Hoss is blowing me off when outside in pursuit of cats . Ignoring me. This behavior was old news ........but has returned......
Just started this month ....a gate was left open while working on a home project by mistake of course.......and he went cat chasing.....he returned to our stat whistle call.....but he galloped around with prey drive in high gear say about 4 minutes went by.....then he returns tired of course.....he has been obsessed with searching for cats outside .....since that day.sniff sniff sniff....constantly....
So since I am reproaching with some basics ........thought clicker would be interesting ......thanks for the suggested resources.

always fun to see Boon working with you - his dad, Harvard, and I just got back from a walk. If Boon is anything like his daddy, he will be dancing with you for many years yet!

LOVVVVVVVVVE the wonderful longevity genetics Boon gets from Harvard!! Here’s a video made for a Fenzi class. You can really REALLY see how much Boon favors Harvard in this one. Especially his huge power and grace.

It really is fascinating how much he looks like Harvard! I know his mother is in there somewhere too - haha!

Tricia........day 2 for Hoss with clicker training......my assignment for this week is:

For at least 3 days.............3 times per day
take at least 20 pieces of kibble......or high value treat ......
Hoss is required to look at me (no words spoken) ......I click the clicker .....then I treat ................
As days goes by we are to pick up speed with performing this exercise..............
Today is day two.........as soon as I picked up the clicker ..........he was excited........Hoss sat down and was ready to go.........................
Boy oh Boy........if what I am seeing now gets better .......life will be just perfect.
Thanks for the timing of your thread ................I was just getting ready to begin on my own and then I saw some of your recent videos............very motivating!!!

Sue also teaches her Levels classes at FDSA. Level 1 won't come back around until the October session. https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.co...p/courses/7435

There are some other good, basic classes by other instructors coming up before that, though. Shade Whitesel's Performance Fundamentals will run in the June session, and covers things like shaping, luring, and capturing. https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.co...p/courses/9717

Thanks Rosemary...........all of this is very interesting...............
Do you also use a clicker with your pups?

Frequently. When teaching something new or when I try shaping (something I'm not that good at), using a clicker is the fastest and easiest way to say "Yes, that's what I want!". I also use marker words like "yes" or "good", as well as release words like "farewell" or "get it", depending on the situation and the outcome I want.

My favorite vocal marker is YIP, said sharply, and in a very high pitch. It’s easy to say and more likely to be perceived by the amygdala, the ancient brain, because it is more of a “sound” than a word. When we “click” a clicker, the dog’s amygdala lights up; studies have shown this, which is one of the reasons that scientists think explains the power of the clicker.

Words from human language are perceived and processes by another part of the dogs brain and we know that dogs have to actually learn how to process human language (a very difficult task for many dogs); understanding words is not an innate skill for them like it is for us. So when you use YIP, you are trying to imitate the effect of a clicker.

I often use the words good and yes and okay in daily sloppy ways with Boon so I stay away from those words in training.

Here’s some attention work that I’ve done with Boon. He has extreme prey drive just like Hoss does. It’s hard to work with that in Boon’s case because he has actually achieved a lot of success in catching possums, rabbits, squirrels, and even deer. He has acted insane around those dang squirrels because they sit up on my fence and torture him. But I’m trying and things are getting much better.

As long as I have treats in my pocket, I can now actually walk down my front steps without being in danger of losing my life. Using the training below! I get Boon’s attention on every step of thr descent, then reward it. We can now do it very consistently, even when the squirrels are flying around over our heads !!

Video would not work..."Video unavailable" check it out....would love to view this.

Got to get this Cat thing in check especially when I am on the other end of the lead!!!

Thanks so much for your info.....

Tricia, thank you for sharing that! Just awesome and Boon is one handsome boy.

I tried clicker training some time ago and was very enthused about it, but my coordination,
timing and general klutziness quickly got in the way and I gave it up.

I understand Cress.....I just started clicker......using a book called 'When Pigs Fly"

The very first exercise is to this as fast as I can ........... click...treat....then pause.
man I am all fingers with this......................so yes co-ordination was an issue for myself......who would'a thought !!!!!! LOL

Video break is fixed now!

Cressrb, I can coach you past all of that mechanical problem with clicker training. Have done it with a ton of new puppy owners who know nothing about any training whatsoever. Just takes a few tips and tricks. I’m gyro start another thread about it - Shaping Behavior With A Clicker. Watch for it! We’ll have you clicking again like a pro!

Thanks so much........great video......I noticed ...it appears you move the treat sometimes in your hand......sometimes behind your back.....

.........like the word YIP........that does have a nice pitch to it.......

Yes, I do vary the reward source location. I don’t want the position of where the reward is located to be a part of the behavior I’m training. Dogs, and especially these brilliant Dobermans, are cataloging every nuance of OUR body language during a training session. And, they do not generalize!! If you always have rewards coming out of a treat bag located on your right hip, well, guess what can easily happen if, one day, you don’t wear that treat bag in that exact spot on the right hip? The dog can’t do the behavior! No kidding, have seen it many times teaching classes and in my own training.

Dogs will also orient their bodies to the reward source and that orientation can easily become a part of the finished behavior. Dog learns, through many repetitions while he’s being rewarded that what his human wants is EXACTLY this: lying down, facing the human, nose close to the treat pouch, eyes boring a hole into the pouch. A down on the other side of the human, one without a built in stare at the treat pouch, well...this dog doesn’t know anything about that kind of down. So, that’s why it’s good to vary reward placement for most training.

Rigid “still photo training” is what I call it to help students; a dog learns that “sit” means EXACTLY this picture - I am to face my human, in the kitchen, beside the sink area, and place my hiney down on the floor exactly one foot away from my human’s feet and 8 inches to the left of his belt buckle and I am to stare at his treat pouch. Then the human is terrifically surprised when they come to the training center and have forgotten their treat pouch and are trying to get treats out of a Jean pocket for rewarding while yelling at the dog to SIIIIIIT and the dog just cannot manage a sit. The human has a hissy fit and gets all angry at the dog. “You know sit! You’re just trying to embarrass me!” Nope. That’s not what’s happening at all. The dog had still photo training.

Dogs are extremely literal and if you train in a rigid still photo way, you will get a dog that can only do that behavior as long as it exactly mimics the still photo. So, vary yourself!

The treat hand behind the back is an extremely important default position that I use often to keep myself from “overshadowing the click”. Do you know what that means? It’s a super important concept.

Overshadowing the click........No.......... I do not know what that means.......I am listening..........

Nor I.