The little seven week old puppies had their first encounter with sheep today. One by one they were taken out and introduced to three sheep in the small pen. Mary Lou walked along with the bucket of corn to keep the sheep moving away from the pup. Angie was "pup wrangler". All of the pups showed promise, watching the sheep, smelling the sheep, following along behind, and running after them. Jasmine even tried two square flanks and stayed back off the stock while still showing continued interest. She looks the most promising right now, but it is very early to tell much. Or so the experts tell me. I was just thrilled to watch such little puppies show instinct in doing what they were bred to do.
We used no clickers today. No training. No rewarding. No marking of behavior. Just observing. Watching. Learning.
I hope to have access to the clicker herding group soon. After several days, I am still on the pending list. I have so many questions.
My herding instructor does not use clicker training, although she understands what it is. She doesn't believe it can be used in the constantly changing, fluid process of herding. She may be right.
I know how to work for the fundamentals: sit, wait, leave it, etc. that Poppy will need to know before she can really learn to herd. We can use clicker training to get those behaviors practiced in a variety of situations before she is required to do them in the exciting world of sheep. But is it possible to click and reward while she is in there working sheep? I don't know.
clickers and herding
Hi, I'd love to here more about the clicker herding group as I am sure clickers can be used, but I can't work out how either. I have just started to use the clicker as a message to my border collie whilst I am having lessons training him in herding. The treat is continuing working sheep. It is an advantage that he generally has little interest in food treats, only in games and high value activities. I think it is working, in that it makes me concentrate more and he gets a clearer indication of what I want, which is progress as I am a novice and generally manage to confuse the messages I give him!
Clicker herding
I really want to learn more about clicker herding , too. I haven't had any replies to any of my queries on either this website or the facebook page. I have a lot of experience wih "click ends the behavior" type of training, but not on clicking for continuing working. I have a "go on" cue for agility with my other dog which I practiced by back chaining.
I am a novice at herding. I have only done herding instinct tests. i have never competed in a trial.
Here are the basic skills for herding that I am working on now with clicker training with the puppy:
1. Click for calmness around the sheep.
2. Tight right and left circles (no cue yet)
3. "That'll do" for a call out of play.
4. Basic obedience: sit, come, down, walking on the lead (both sides) (I will need to be able to set the dog up for an outrun on either side of me and I want her comfortable to work from either side early.)
I would appreciate any help, comments, from anyone.
clicker herding, the second year
It has been one year since I got Jasmine. She is now 14 months old and is becoming quite the little stock dog. The fundamental skills that I began working with her on as a puppy have really paid off. (see post 6/1/09) I am especially glad that I took the time to have her spend short periods of time being calm around the stock in the runway aisles and being calm while watching other dogs work. She still has the drive to work stock, but is not frantic. She is a thinking dog. These basic skills can all be taught with the clicker. I still put her in the crate away from stock for periods of time to allow for down time and latent learning.
My herding instructor is not a clicker trainer, but she has helped me become more adept at my timing in putting a little quiet pressure on the dog by raising the stick. When the stock are where I want them, I immediately release the pressure by quickly and quietly lowering the stick so that the dog has permission to move the sheep again. i am getting better at calmly moving the stick the least little bit to get what i want. She is getting better at reading the sheep and responding quickly to the stick. Immediate access to the sheep is her reinforcer, the quiet, neutral position of the stick is the "click".
We are learning to dance, Jasmine, the sheep and I.
Clicker Herding
Barb, I'm thinking of starting my young Mary using clicks since that's how I've shaped most of her learned behaviors. It sounds like you've been able to effectively use this in addition to some of the more traditional methods with Jasmine. That's inspiring - I know of zero stockdog instructors out here that use clickers for herding.
Could you please post the Facebook and other lists you've found which support clicker training for stockdogs? Thank you!
Joan