Globalpaw.com Dog Forum - View Single Post - How do you use positive reinforcement training?

thetervduo · 12-13-2005, 11:51 AM

To really learn how to use positive training methods (clicker training; Tellington Touch method of training; luring (classical and operant conditioning) you could join some lists: Yahoo groups "clickersolutions" is a great place to start, as well as go to www.karenpryor.com to learn more and gather books on it. To me and my professional training methods, positive training equals no force, no fear, just results. This applies no matter what dog you are training and flows into reactive dog training as well, however as with any training method it takes experience and knowing what to do when and which tools to use for which dog and which dog/owner teams. There is really no cookie cutter for every situation.

Let's take a look at your requests:

1:

You are trying to walk your dog on a leash, and your dog starts to pull. How do you deal with that? How do you communicate to the dog what it is that YOU want the dog to do and eventually stops the pulling altogether?

--------
Pulling is probably the "hardest" behavior to get rid of....we are slower than dogs, the dog wants to get from point A to point B and is used to doing it quickly. Add the human element and we have water skiing material. So getting your dog to focus (not on point B, but on you) and to show him what you want, as well as to help him understand that walking is a privelege and at some point he might be rewarded with off lead play.

Commitment: Never allow pulling.
Training: Start in no distraction environment. Home. - Condition clicker (click equals treat). In the beginning be lavish with treats, eventually you'll fade these out. According to Jean Donaldson's Culture Clash, dogs do not work to please us. Give them a reason to work for you, just as your boss gives you a paycheck or incentive. Once the clicker is conditioned, click and treat every time dog is close to you. Stand still. If dog wanders away wait...when he returns, click and treat. Be like a pez dispenser in the beginning. Soon the dog will be wanting to be close. Then toss a treat out as you walk and when
dog returns to you (now taking a couple of steps forward) click and treat. Walk in a straight line at first, then add turns etc. Add leash, put leash around waist and there are a number of things before actually going for a walk.

To take control of the walk requires leadership and the cues (sit, wait/stay, come, heel). If the lead is taut the walk ends. The dog soon learns that no walk occurs with a tight lead.

In Tellington Touch method of training you do leading exercises with do using two points of contact (a harness and a collar; a harness with a balance contact; a harness and a halti (suggested for major pullers)). First you work through cavelletti and labyrinth exercises to get the dog to focus and for both of your to walk in conert as a team. You repeat this, add distractions and then take it to the road.

In all cases if the dog is ready to "go for a walk" the lead will be loose. It takes work, commitment and to always end on success so dog can progress from that point on. It will be harder to train a dog who has been a wanderer and puller for most of its life than to start a puppy off on a good start with a no pull sequence.

You will find many more positive ways to train and should choose the method that is working for you and your dog.

Diane and the terv duo

2:

You don't want your dog to jump on the couch or on people. How do you correct that? You tell your dog "off", but they still jump on the couch and or jump up on people.

Let's start with these two; I'm really interested in learning about how to correct without punishment, and how to motivate your dog to do what it is you want and to cease other unwanted behaviors. It seems like in general it's easy to bench race this idea, but how do you put it in to practice? What are the techniques?

12-13-2005, 11:51 AM	#11 (permalink)
thetervduo Canine Transformations Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Langley, Washington Posts: 27 Rep Power: 58	Positive training To really learn how to use positive training methods (clicker training; Tellington Touch method of training; luring (classical and operant conditioning) you could join some lists: Yahoo groups "clickersolutions" is a great place to start, as well as go to www.karenpryor.com to learn more and gather books on it. To me and my professional training methods, positive training equals no force, no fear, just results. This applies no matter what dog you are training and flows into reactive dog training as well, however as with any training method it takes experience and knowing what to do when and which tools to use for which dog and which dog/owner teams. There is really no cookie cutter for every situation. Let's take a look at your requests: 1: You are trying to walk your dog on a leash, and your dog starts to pull. How do you deal with that? How do you communicate to the dog what it is that YOU want the dog to do and eventually stops the pulling altogether? -------- Pulling is probably the "hardest" behavior to get rid of....we are slower than dogs, the dog wants to get from point A to point B and is used to doing it quickly. Add the human element and we have water skiing material. So getting your dog to focus (not on point B, but on you) and to show him what you want, as well as to help him understand that walking is a privelege and at some point he might be rewarded with off lead play. Commitment: Never allow pulling. Training: Start in no distraction environment. Home. - Condition clicker (click equals treat). In the beginning be lavish with treats, eventually you'll fade these out. According to Jean Donaldson's Culture Clash, dogs do not work to please us. Give them a reason to work for you, just as your boss gives you a paycheck or incentive. Once the clicker is conditioned, click and treat every time dog is close to you. Stand still. If dog wanders away wait...when he returns, click and treat. Be like a pez dispenser in the beginning. Soon the dog will be wanting to be close. Then toss a treat out as you walk and when dog returns to you (now taking a couple of steps forward) click and treat. Walk in a straight line at first, then add turns etc. Add leash, put leash around waist and there are a number of things before actually going for a walk. To take control of the walk requires leadership and the cues (sit, wait/stay, come, heel). If the lead is taut the walk ends. The dog soon learns that no walk occurs with a tight lead. In Tellington Touch method of training you do leading exercises with do using two points of contact (a harness and a collar; a harness with a balance contact; a harness and a halti (suggested for major pullers)). First you work through cavelletti and labyrinth exercises to get the dog to focus and for both of your to walk in conert as a team. You repeat this, add distractions and then take it to the road. In all cases if the dog is ready to "go for a walk" the lead will be loose. It takes work, commitment and to always end on success so dog can progress from that point on. It will be harder to train a dog who has been a wanderer and puller for most of its life than to start a puppy off on a good start with a no pull sequence. You will find many more positive ways to train and should choose the method that is working for you and your dog. Diane and the terv duo 2: You don't want your dog to jump on the couch or on people. How do you correct that? You tell your dog "off", but they still jump on the couch and or jump up on people. Let's start with these two; I'm really interested in learning about how to correct without punishment, and how to motivate your dog to do what it is you want and to cease other unwanted behaviors. It seems like in general it's easy to bench race this idea, but how do you put it in to practice? What are the techniques?