# clicker Trainers



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

good article on shaping. At least watch the one teaching dog to blow bubbles lol 
Training concepts: What is shaping? - DogTrainingology


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## Chi-Chi's Mom (Dec 10, 2015)

Thanks for posting this article. After much resistance, I finally bought a clicker today. Any and all suggestions/advice is welcome!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

good. stuff here's two sites .. kikopups by Emily Larlham has the best videos .

Clicker Training Basics | Karen Pryor Clicker Training

https://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup


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## Chi-Chi's Mom (Dec 10, 2015)

So glad I just read Karen Pryor's tips. I was surely headed to fail on clicking DURING desired behavior. Thanks.


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

Loved watching the dog learning to blow bubbles. However, when I first read your post, Dave, I expected to see someone holding a bubble wand and the dog blowing soap bubbles! :laugh2:


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

I second Dave's sentiments toward Emily. Been watching her videos for years (since I was a wee, novice Mario trainer), and I've learned so much from her alone. Highly recommended!

Shaping is great when teaching more complicated behaviors. We've used it for a lot of Mario's "stupid" tricks, like shutting the door behind him, "rebounding" off our legs, and "saying his prayers". It's like starting the dog out with some simple addition and subtraction, progressing to division, algebra, and eventually calculus rather than just throwing them straight into the advanced stuff 

Thanks for the links, Dave.


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## Zoe093014 (Jan 27, 2015)

Any chance you can post a video of these tricks? Would love to see them!


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

Zoe093014 said:


> Any chance you can post a video of these tricks? Would love to see them!


I'll try to get some videos to put in a thread over the weekend


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

Chi-Chi's Mom said:


> Thanks for posting this article. After much resistance, I finally bought a clicker today. Any and all suggestions/advice is welcome!


If it doesn't come with one already on it, I would buy some sort of wrist attachment for the clicker. It's very helpful, especially with a puppy, to always have your clicked on you. You never know when you'll catch your pup doing something good, and you want to reinforce that with a click. Puppy eliminates on a pad by itself? Click. Puppy stays silent as it watches a family walk by the window? Click. By the time you get to your clicker for these behaviors, they will be over, and a learning opportunity will have been missed. You can also catch behaviors that can be turned into fun novelty tricks when you always have a clicker on hand (literally). I know someone who taught their Chihuahua to scoot its butt on cue through clicker training ound:

For similar reasoning, it's a good idea to keep a treat pouch on your person, at least while the dog is still young and learning good behavior. Though timing of the treat isn't what's important, clicking and then walking all the way to where the treats are kept really reduces effectiveness. I'd recommend the PetSafe Treat Pouch Sport (it has both a belt and the mechanics to clip to a belt loop or pocket), but I've also used a much cheaper one with a safety pin...just as effective, though access may not be as easy.


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## Chi-Chi's Mom (Dec 10, 2015)

KarMar said:


> If it doesn't come with one already on it, I would buy some sort of wrist attachment for the clicker. It's very helpful, especially with a puppy, to always have your clicked on you.
> 
> Thanks KarMar. That was exactly what was keeping me from employing the clicker! I knew I would never have it when I needed it. Then I found some on Amazon with the wrist thingy so we are good to go!
> 
> Keeping treats handy is challenging. I never wear a belt and the waist pouch is just awkward:frown2: Going to try a small pouch clipped to my wrist.


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