Dog Clicker Training Tips

[simpleaffiliate source="chitika" results="0"][/simpleaffiliate]

clicker training question...?

We've been clicker training my dog and it's going great. She's able to sit do a down and we're starting a stay (she's 4mths old) Here's my question...when doing a stay when do I click? Before or after I release her?
Anyone out there who has any tips on clicker training a stay I'd really appreciate it!
Thank you.

Actually, though I am an avid clicker trainer, I rarely use a clicker with stays. The click marks a specific behavior, and the stay is not generally about specific behavior, but about duration, distance, and distractions. I will occasionally set things up so that I have a clickable moment, such as arranging to have a distraction go by, then clicking when I see the dog deciding to hold the stay. I also don't work much on stays with young pups, as they have an innate need to be near their pack (you) and I don't want to teach the stay for too long before adding distance. You can work on duration and distractions at this age, though. Also, if you have an older dog, its a great way to start working on stays at a distance when the pup hits 6-8 months old.

If you do decide to click her on a stay, try to get in and give the reinforcement while she is still in position. BUT- anything she does after the click isn't part of what she is required to do to earn her treat,, so no witholding the treat if she gets up after you click (which she is likely to do.)

Another way to think about it is not to teach a stay specifically, but to teach a release, and expect her to do what she was told until released. This only works well, though, if you are good about releasing her in time, and not forgetting, then her learning to release herself.

I highly recommend the clickersolutions list group and website (www.clickersolutions.com and you can join the group from the site, though not required in order to read the articles).

http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/index.htm#behaviors

Shaping Explained- Part 1 of Training Your Dog to Turn on a Light Switch with Clicker


[simpleaffiliate source="amazon" results="10"]dog clicker training tips[/simpleaffiliate]
[simpleaffiliate source="clickbank" results="5"]dog clicker training tips[/simpleaffiliate]