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Training a dog to STAY!!

What a lovely gentle trainer cl*p


Our trainer taught us a method of using "yes" instead of a clicker - you always have your voice with you, but don't always have a clicker...


We use it to teach the dog to watch us initially. Do not have a treat in your hand, keep it in a treat holder.

Put the dog in a sit, call their name and then give the command "watch", or "watch me". Whilst they look at you, say "yes" in a quite voice repeatedly - "yes yes yes yes" then BEFORE they look away, one LOUD "YES!" immediately followed with a treat. Basically very similar to how you teach with a clicker, but you are reinforcing that they are doing the right thing.


I've known dogs to get frustrated when they don't get a click for ages and they are struggling to work out if they are doing things right.


After that you can use the "yes yes yes yes YES" for anything, it's brilliant for recall. You could also use it very softly for teaching stays...
 
I've known dogs to get frustrated when they don't get a click for ages and they are struggling to work out if they are doing things right.
Click to expand...

In this case, it is the trainer's fault. (99.9% of the time it is the trainer's fault!) If the dog is offering behaviors and not getting clicked, the trainer has moved too fast and needs to back up. Shaping behaviors with a clicker is a process of very small increments. Clicker training if done correctly is amazing. There is a difference between training with a clicker and true clicker training.

J.

PS I posted the above before watching the video. (Which is excellent and the trainer lives in my area....I might check her out some time). You should have seen Gem's reaction to the sound of the clicker in the video. It was instantaneous. She immediately alerted to me. The are some real benefits of using a clicker over voice when training. However all clicker trainers will tell you there is a time and method for phasing out the clicker. I use a clicker to train Gem in agility and we obviously can't take it into the ring during competition.
 
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Essentially this is the way that my current trainer trains. Rylie doesn't actually have a "stay" command or hand signal. He knows that when he is told to "sit" or "down" he is supposed to hold that position until I release him. I taught Max "stay" but I don't use it anymore. I find this way (without a specific command) makes sure that I will continue to pay attention to the dogs and remember what I've asked them to do. I originally taught Max using a "yes" marker and Rylie with a clicker. Now it depends what it is I am training. I do have to say though that even Mindy (at nearly 12) gets excited when she sees me with the clicker and she was never clicker trained. If I'm trying to shape a new behaviour - such as get in a box she is invariably the one who will offer it the quickest.
 
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