We started "Click and Treat" training today. It is operant conditioning based on the works of Pavlov and Skinner. Kary Pryor simplified it for us who aren't scientist. If you haven't read anything about Karen Pryor you should. She revolutionized the world of training based on "markers and rewards." Her first experience was with training dolphins. What she learned there she shared with those of us who love dogs.
Simply put, when something does something you want it to repeat you identify the behavior - the marker - and then reward the behavior - the treat.
I've been working with Nelson to accept treats. He hasn't been very food motivated. I talked to a good friend, Renee Toth, who taught me how to get him cued in to the treats. It worked!
So today we started working on "sit." When his butt hit the ground first I "clicked" and he received a treat. I tossed the treats so he had to get up to get them. He figured it out pretty quickly. We had three training sessions today with each lasting about 15 minutes. It's amazing to watch him "think" and "problem solve." He would wag his tail and then sit. Very soon I will anticipate him sitting and put the word "sit" with it. Thus he will connect the word with the action with the reward. Pretty simple!
So how did you teach him to want treats?
ReplyDelete