Soon after learning that a click marks the exact behavior and tells the animal what earned its reward, newcomers to clicker training wonder how to go about getting that clickable behavior. On this point, the answer they hear depends on whom they ask.
Shaping and Targeting
How to Teach Your Dog Left and Right
By Aidan Bindoff on 11/01/2009This is a fun exercise that is handier than it seems at first. You'll set up two targets at a distance, and teach your dog to go to either target—left or right—on cue. Later, you will set up similar exercises to bring more general meaning to the cues "left" or "right."
A dog that understands "left" and "right" has a terrific skill for many competition venues including agility, herding, mushing, water dog, and retrieving. This understanding would also be handy walking on trails—and service dog owners could think of a dozen or more applications for "left" and "right."
How to Socialize Your Puppy
By Aidan Bindoff on 04/01/2009If you have a new puppy, or are planning to get a puppy, you may have heard about "socialization." It's been established that pups are more likely to grow into stable, well-adjusted dogs if they experience a wide variety of new things at a very early age.
Stepping on the Food: A Memo from Karen
By Karen Pryor on 02/19/2008You're training "leave it." You drop a bit of food, the dog lunges toward it, and you cover it with your foot. Are you just managing the environment, or is this negative punishment, taking away something desired?
What is Microshaping, Anyway?
By Kay Laurence on 01/08/2008This month I'm welcoming a guest author to the Letter from Karen, British clicker training innovator Kay Laurence. Please enjoy this wonderful discussion of what Kay has dubbed "microshaping."—Karen Pryor
