targeting & clicker training

[gymangel812]

i'm working on training my puppy to touch my hand for targeting using clicker training. i can't get her to just touch her nose to my hand. she just tries to mouth it like i have a treat in it. how could i get her to nose it?

[Dekka]

go back a few steps, and only click for a closed mouth nose touch. I had to do this with Snip, he thought he was to hit the target with his mouth open.

[Maxy24]

Just don't click open mouth or "bitey" touches. Just present your hand open, palm facing the dog and when she goes to sniff it, Click!

[lizzybeth727]

You can also try presenting your hand just above your dog's nose, so that naturally the first thing that hits your hand is her nose. Sometimes it also helps to just click anytime her mouth is closed while you're training, this tends to calm dogs down and help them to focus.

[time]

Seriously? Can't you just be smarter than the dog. That is to say, stay one step ahead of them, but you knew that.

[lizzybeth727]

:eek:^^^Wow, you're so helpful.

[Dekka]

Seriously? Can't you just be smarter than the dog. That is to say, stay one step ahead of them, but you knew that.

Well if you are so wise and all knowing, perhaps you could be helpful rather than spam.

[CharlieDog]

Yeah right. All I think anyone has seen out of this person is spam and unhelpful crap.

[time]

I will give you this suggestion. You probably won't use it because, it seems that one minded approaches abound here. No balance. When I wrote be smarter than the dog I wasn't kidding. Set boundaries, use all of the tools that you have at your disposal. Now in order to do this you must understand how dogs communicate. They communicate spatially, audibly, visually, by scent and physically pressures. These are your tools you can use them all or you can fail by not understanding them and using them together. For instance only using force or only using positive reinforcement is unproductive. Boundaries in this case may include when the pup ties to bite in play simply make it unproductive by using physical pressure. Spam folks??? 25 years of selling trained dogs in all arenas for $50,000 a piece, if you can do it be my guest. You can't , otherwise you would be. Maybe asking questions instead of making rude statements would be more productive being that I'm taking the time to see what arenas out there can and will use help for free.

[lizzybeth727]

They communicate spatially, audibly, visually, by scent and physically pressures.
What do you mean they communicate "spatially"?? Clearly you don't educate people very much.

Boundaries in this case may include when the pup ties to bite in play simply make it unproductive by using physical pressure. .
Most of the time when you do this, your puppy will think you're playing - he bites you, you "bite" him back, it's puppy play. How about "making it unproductive" by walking away and leaving the puppy alone? Seems like a better use of doggy language to me.

25 years of selling trained dogs in all arenas for $50,000 a piece, if you can do it be my guest. You can't , otherwise you would be.
You have no idea what we do, and it's arrogant of you to think that you're the only one around here who knows anything about training.

I'm taking the time to see what arenas out there can and will use help for free.
Again, what are you talking about??

[lizzybeth727]

BTW, you misspelled "labrador" on your profile page. :p

[Kayla]

Wow as the old joke goes if three trainers are in a room the only thing two of them will agree on is what the third is doing wrong. You come on a public forum set aside for civil open minded discussions of companion dog training, what type of response could you expect, being able to shoot jargon around doesnt make your beliefs, opinions or ideas valid, in fact delivery is always more important to reaching an audience, something you'd know if you've ever had to convey training methods to the general public.

[time]

Spacial pressure is defined by the reaction of one animal to the next as it pertains to there personal space. It can be used to manipulate behavior as a driver or a motivator. As a matter of practicality if your not aware of how you are using it in your training regimen...Then, apply it to your interactions with people. You can see it at work very clearly when someone tries to speak with you to closely to your face.

[lizzybeth727]

Ok, well, I'm sure about 95% of the people on this forum are certainly aware of spacial pressure, but we generally call it "body posture" or even "physical cues." Guess we're simple minded.

[adojrts]

Hmm, I do believe that there was a thread on Spacial not too long ago.