I am SUCH an IDIOT

[Krislady]

So if you've been following Jarly's training saga, you know that the biggest problem we've been having is his heeling.

Well, besides the death-to-other-dogs thing, but that's coming along.

(ASIDE: He spent the better part of the day yesterday in daycare, and I understand that for most of the day, he was hanging out with some of the older, more laid-back dogs - the geezer club, I guess - and he mostly did just fine. YAY!)

Anyway. I talked to Cameron on Saturday (one of the trainer's assistants) about the clicker thing, and got a few tips.

See, what I HAD been doing was clicking him AFTER he correctly completed the task - in this case, AFTER he'd heeled. Which I've been having a HECK of a time getting him to do.

HOWEVER, this morning, I made it a point to click him AS SOON AS he heeled - the instant he's walking beside me, looking up a me. THE INSTANT. If he looks away, I recall him (Jarly, heel!), he looks back at me, gets another click.

OH MY GOSH I was completely blown away! He watched me, he even smiled at me while he was doing it. He ENJOYED it!

MARK THE CORRECT BEHAVIOR. How hard is that?

And I kind of feel like a jerk, because I was getting frustrated with him because he actually DIDN'T know what I wanted. As soon as he did, he gave it to me.

And here I was waiting for the light bulb to click on for him - and it clicked on for me.

But seriously, want an AWESOME heeling boy he is!

[K9 Owned]

YIKES! Poor Jarly wondering what the heck you were trying to do before the light bulb went off!

For sure the click marks the behaviour you want to see not the end product. The click often ends the behaviour and thats ok too. Just do as you do and get his attention back and click again.

I'm having a heck of a time trying to get Don to understand this. We are working on recall and because it is so poor with Don I want him to click as soon as Dawson turns towards him Then later when he has taken a few steps towards him and eventually when he comes back to his side. Don seems to think that the click should mark the final recall. It is taking us 6 months longer than it should because the final recall never happens

Good that you caught your error and now Jarly knows what the heck it is he is being clicked and treated for. Yay Team Jarly!

[Saralaya]

GO TEAM JARLY!!!

[Connie Lea]

Way to go Kris. I would have thought as you did. No wonder the clicker didn't work for me. Training dogs is so much more about training the owner than the dogs.