Clicker Problems

[StillandSilent]

Argon is the first dog I've tried clicker training with, and frankly, it's not going well. I spent a lot of time charging the clicker for him, and he understands that click=treat, but he doesn't seem to be able to relate the click back to his own behavior.
As soon as he hears the click, he stops whatever he was doing for the treat, but then gets so focused on the remain treats that he won't repeat the behavior. He does this whether he can see the treats or not.
He almost seems to treat the clicker like an automatic treat dispenser. Should I go back to the beginning and try charging the clicker again? Other suggestions?

 

[Dekka]

I don't charge the clicker for any dog I work with anymore. I just use it.

Ok try this. Say sit. He sits c/t as his bum is hitting the floor (you want to click whilst the dog is doing something) if he then freezes and won't do anything more, walk away.

Actually he has learned very well. You said you spent a lot of time charging the clicker, well he has learned its a treat dispensing noise independent of his behaviour. Now he just has to learn its a treat dispensing noise that IS dependent on his behaviour.

 

[StillandSilent]

I've been walking away from him, because I don't want to pressure him (he's a bit of a wilting violet), but he's the most difficult dog I've ever worked with. I've had him since the end of October, and all I've been able to teach is sit, down, heel, and give paw.
How can I teach him that the treats are dependant on what he does?

 

[release the hounds]

it sounds like you've done an awesome job so far. To me the click is the terminal marker, bam, job is done, my reward is coming. Sounds like he knows it well. But like Dekka said he hasn't associated it with behavior yet.

When starting marker training, I never use commands, but I also only mark for behaviors that i'm going to ask for later, sit, eye contact, down, coming to me, stand, those sorts of things. I'll lure into some positions too and mark and reward, still no commands. they learn body language quickly so by hand motions they learn positions. When I give a sit motion and they do and I mark and they shoot up to get their reward, i know they know it.

If they won't repeat the behavior again they dont' get anything from me. In the beginning they can see my treats, and smell them in my hand, I don't care, we get past that easy enough after they learn what I want. I'll wait them out tell give the NRM and wait till they try doing other things rather than focus on the treat and when they sit or down, or whatever you're doing, click then reward. A few of those and once that light bulb turns on it's on.

 

[Maxy24]

Have you done the touch command with him (using a touch stick or your hand and getting him to poke it with his nose)? It's a nice easy behavior for the dog to learn and the motion needed to do it is so small that the dog might be more likely to repeat the behavior. It's the first thing I teach, that's actually how I "charge" the clicker.

 

[lizzybeth727]

Have you done the touch command with him (using a touch stick or your hand and getting him to poke it with his nose)? It's a nice easy behavior for the dog to learn and the motion needed to do it is so small that the dog might be more likely to repeat the behavior. It's the first thing I teach, that's actually how I "charge" the clicker.

^^^Ditto.

I also capture the dog making eye contact - click when his eyes meet your eyes - it's another easy behavior and IMO pretty easy for dogs to figure out what they're doing that's getting them the treat.

 

[ihartgonzo]

I like the eye contact suggestion! I "loaded" with watch me's too.

Fozzie also gets VERY treat focused... much more easily than he gets focused on me. Personally, I found that keeping treats in a treat pouch on my right side (if we're doing heelwork) or slightly behind me and not keeping a handful of treats helps him to focus on what I'm doing rather than what's in my hand or what's in the bag. When teaching him to hold a behavior, at first I'm doing a constant click/treat. When I taught Fozzie to beg (which was impossible without the clicker...) I would c/t constantly when he was in the position. I was literally shoveling c/t's at him! He quickly learned that sitting up was very rewarding, and it didn't take long for him to learn to hold the position. You can phase out the c/t's after a while, but to begin with, I c/t a LOT to mark/maintain the behavior.