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Clicker Training for Beginners - Lesson 3

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KimKimWilliamson

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Okay, so I started Lesson 3 with Pru today. We have done four reps of ten, 5 mins apart. She clearly associates the click with the treat as far as I can tell.
She pauses and stops what she`s doing when I click and then looks to my hand for the treat.
The one problem I am facing is that she is very curious of the clicker, wants to tear it out of my hands and chew it.....to deter her I have been putting her on the back of a chair, and sitting on a different chair about half an arms length away from her. But she is pretty determined and keeps flying to my lap where the clicker is to check it out.
Is this okay?

Also, Im noticing that clicking, then grabbing a treat and giving it to her has a bout a 5 second delay between the two, is this alright? Or is it too long?
 

BraveheartDogs

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Okay, so I started Lesson 3 with Pru today. We have done four reps of ten, 5 mins apart. She clearly associates the click with the treat as far as I can tell.
She pauses and stops what she`s doing when I click and then looks to my hand for the treat.
The one problem I am facing is that she is very curious of the clicker, wants to tear it out of my hands and chew it.....to deter her I have been putting her on the back of a chair, and sitting on a different chair about half an arms length away from her. But she is pretty determined and keeps flying to my lap where the clicker is to check it out.
Is this okay?

Also, Im noticing that clicking, then grabbing a treat and giving it to her has a bout a 5 second delay between the two, is this alright? Or is it too long?
Great!! Okay, let's take a look at what's happening here.

Do you mean four sets of ten repititions? If yes, this is good.

If she is interested in the clicker then I would put it behind your back and make sure that the food is very high value so it trumps any interest in the clicker.

The delay is okay between the click and reinforcer (treat) delivery, but location of reinforcer is important so you want to make sure that she gets it in a position that helps the behavior you want to build. You could also try putting a few treats in your hand so that you can deliver them quicker.
 

KimKimWilliamson

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Great!! Okay, let's take a look at what's happening here.

Do you mean four sets of ten repititions? If yes, this is good.

If she is interested in the clicker then I would put it behind your back and make sure that the food is very high value so it trumps any interest in the clicker.

The delay is okay between the click and reinforcer (treat) delivery, but location of reinforcer is important so you want to make sure that she gets it in a position that helps the behavior you want to build. You could also try putting a few treats in your hand so that you can deliver them quicker.
Great advice, during tomorows session I will try this. I had been taking treats with my left hand from a bowl on the table beside us, and clicking with the right while sitting my right hand in my lap - I was trying to be mindful of the fact that I shouldnt move when I click! LOL

And yes, I did mean we did 10 clicks on four seperate occasions, 5 mins apart, LOL

And did you mean above that I should click when she is facing me at attention ad apposed to just clicking at random times and expecting her to react? If so I will do that tomorow as well. I was just clicking it every few seconds regardless of what she was doing.
 

BraveheartDogs

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Great advice, during tomorows session I will try this. I had been taking treats with my left hand from a bowl on the table beside us, and clicking with the right while sitting my right hand in my lap - I was trying to be mindful of the fact that I shouldnt move when I click! LOL

And yes, I did mean we did 10 clicks on four seperate occasions, 5 mins apart, LOL

And did you mean above that I should click when she is facing me at attention ad apposed to just clicking at random times and expecting her to react? If so I will do that tomorow as well. I was just clicking it every few seconds regardless of what she was doing.
Okay, HUGE clicks for YOU for thinking about your body language when clicking. This is something that people don't think about enough when training animals, but it's important. Animals (dogs, birds or whatever) are aware of our body language and will get "cued" by things we don't mean to do like rolling treats in our fingers, reaching for the bait bag, etc. I see people do this constantly with dogs. So, it's great that you are thoughtful of that. I love the idea of the treats in your left and clicker in your right, I would just have the clicker behind your back or in your sleeve so she doesn't see it.

No, you are correct to be clicking regardless of what she is doing. But, you don't have to wait to click, you may click again after she has finished eating the last treat. But, I was telling you about the location of reinforcer because when you are to the point of training behaviors (not at this step but later) it is important to be thoughtful of where you are feeding the reinforcer because you want "training momentum" and you want the animal to eat and then be in a position to repeat the behavior easily.

Like if I am teaching a bird or dog to spin and I am starting with a head turn, I will click the head turn and feed on the other side so that it sets the animal up to repeat the behavior which creates momentum and faster training.

Does that make sense?
 
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KimKimWilliamson

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Makes perfect sense! Im looking forward to trying again tomorow and seeing how much she retained! :)
With the touch targetting she picked up quickly, and remembers easily each time I bring out the target stick.
She's a smart cookie!
I will try to get a video for you!
Thanks for your help :)
 

Gilraen

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Stupid question time *blushes* How can you tell if she's associating the click with a treat? I've been keeping her treat in one hand just behind my back and pulling it around for her.

Also, how can I get her to quit being a brat(lol) when I'm training her? I've been using one of those small pieces that you can break off of a stick of millet and letting her take a bite, but she's taken to grabbing the entire piece when I hold it for her. Either by grabbing the entire thing in her mouth(like this morning) or by taking a bite and while she is just shooting her foot out to pull it away from me.
 

brentmajor

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Is it possible to over charge the clicker? Ive been working with my GCC for a couple days and he is anticipating his treat but i dont think he is ready for target training because he is still a little scared. Is it bad if i keep just "click and treat" too much?
 

rocabird

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What does he seem to be afraid of? The target stick?

I tend to do very little "charging" of the clicker. One thing I would worry about with doing to much is the bird will get stuck at just sitting there waiting for the click and not try different things in order to get you to click.
 

montana

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Hi, I'm lessons behind here but reading and catching up. I didn't click and treat for nothing with Valentine the teal. I only clicked and tried to treat - she won't accept treats if she got up on the perch. I can't train inside the cage because there are two grey tiels with Valentine so I wait for her to come out of the cage which she does pretty quickly as soon as I open the door. Then its getting her to a T perch. If she gets up on the wooden perch with a step up command even though she bites the perch first I click and try to give her a treat which so far she has not taken. So just praise her. Maybe she is even too frightened to accept a treat? Still trying. Montana :o:
 

montana

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Hello, I put a couple of posts in yesterday on clicker training 1 & 3 but I didn't see any answers or, I don't know how to pull them up? Not real computer savy here but my daughter-in-law who knows a bit could not do it either. If anyone can help. I tried everything inlcuding the thread tools and display. I am able to post and see the posts but not the replies? Maybe there aren't any? Regards Montana:(
 

rocabird

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Hi, I'm lessons behind here but reading and catching up. I didn't click and treat for nothing with Valentine the teal. I only clicked and tried to treat - she won't accept treats if she got up on the perch. I can't train inside the cage because there are two grey tiels with Valentine so I wait for her to come out of the cage which she does pretty quickly as soon as I open the door. Then its getting her to a T perch. If she gets up on the wooden perch with a step up command even though she bites the perch first I click and try to give her a treat which so far she has not taken. So just praise her. Maybe she is even too frightened to accept a treat? Still trying. Montana :o:
Hi Montana! One of the hardest thing for me was finding a treat that Eco loved and would eat when we were training. I was used to dogs who found anything edible rewarding.

What have you tried using for a treat so far? What type of foods does she get to eat everyday?
 

DidiBird

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Two questions!

What is the youngest age one can begin clicker training their parrot, and how long after coming home to a new environment should one wait before beginning clicker training? I have a 4 month old Queen of Bavaria Conure, I got him 1 month ago. I don't plan on starting yet for perhaps another month, so he'll be 5 months old, 2 months in his new home.

Also! Would it be detrimental to accompany the "click" sound with a verbal "Good boy"? I ask because when we are not in training mode, I would think using "Good boy" would be more effective for him to understand that what ever he is doing at that moment is good. But I'm also wondering if it would actually be more confusing, as he might think he should be getting a treat when he doesn't.

Thank you, and thank you SO much for this series of threads. Honestly, this is the most useful clicker training literature out there, and perfect that its in a forum where others can discuss, share, and ask. Love it!
 

Wulfgeist

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Jasper *loves* pine nuts but he is hating the clicker. When I offer a bit of one after clicking he thinks the pine nut is the devil now. This is going to take some time I think.
 
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