Clicker Training

[there_she_went]

I'd like to start clicker training my dog, 11 month old amstaff/lab mix. Can you guys recommend any good books to read on the subject. I'm also thinking about getting him into some agility classes-for fun not necessarily for competition. What should I look for in an agility class

Comments

[miss_teacher]

Click For Joy is a great starter book as well as The Power of Positive Dog Training.

Check here to see if there's a trainer in your area. If not, then try here but you should screen the trainers on this list more carefully since not all are positive trainers (but in general most are).

I do not know the LA area well (down in SD myself). Is this trainer close to you?

Look for an agility trainer who takes her time to teach you and your dog how to control his body on the obstacles so he doesn't hurt himself. I feel a good agility trainer doesn't rush into getting the dog on every obstacle right away. There's a lot of body work and handling you should do before other things. Look for someone who doesn't force a dog to do something he's not comfortable with. And someone who understands the impact agility can have on a dog's body and adjusts her training methods to minimize that impact.

[there_she_went]

Unfortunately that trainer isn't close to me, but I will buy the books and check the first site. Thanks!

[bonhommie]

Seconding miss_teacher's link to the APDT directory. Most of the trainers in the directory have their websites listed, so you can have a look and check out their training philosophies and read about their methods with behavioral issues before deciding to pursue more information. Once you find one you're comfortable with, you could always ask to observe a class and see the trainer work.

The LA area has a surplus of dog trainers to choose from, but you definitely want to find one that has a good degree of expertise in dealing with reactive dogs, especially when it comes to high prey drive reactivity towards cats. (Assuming this is what you mean by "acting rationally".)

[there_she_went]

that's exactly what I mean by acting rationally :)

[xianghua]

My two favorite 'basic' books are "Clicker Training With Your Dog" by Peggy Tillman and "When Pigs Fly: Obedience Training for Impossible Dogs". If you like sciency type books, a copy of "Don't Shoot The Dog" is invaluable, too, as it really explains the princples that make clicker training work, and Karen Pryor is a really engaging writer. (It's not, OTOH, so great for breaking clicker training down in to a 'do this, then this' recipe.)

[petit_rhino]

I'm reading Don't Shoot the Dog at the moment and it's brilliant, as well as an entertaining read.

[xianghua]

You might also check out "Lads Before The Wind"- it's Karen Pryor's book about working at Sea Life Park in the late 60s where they pioneered all the marker training stuff. It's a great read. :)

[petit_rhino]

Thanks for the rec, I've added the book to my wishlist. So many interesting things to read!

I finished Don't Shoot the Dog today. That was quite a ride! I'm having fun applying it to my everyday life. Doesn't come naturally, but I'm hoping that will change at some point.