Deaf Dog Training

How can you clicker alternation a deafened dog? Well, apprehend on, and I'll ample you in!

This abstraction is not new with me, and I'm not a clicker training expert, but I'd like to present some of the things I accept abstruse so that others can try it too. The aboriginal affair I wish to do is analyze a accepted delusion about clicker training - It's not about the clicker! It's unfortuntate that this training adjustment was alleged afterwards alone one of the accessible tools. "Marker Training" (or something similar) would accept been a bigger choice, because that is what it is about, appearance a specific behavior, to acquaint the dog absolutely what he or she did right, at the exact moment that they did it. It doesn't absolutely amount what you use for the brand (there are a lot of choices that will plan just fine), just so that it is quick, accurate, and (preferably) the aforementioned every time. A lot of dog trainers use a little artificial box that was originally a kid's toy, alleged a "clicker." Dolphins, seals, and added sea animals are accomplished application a whistle. Some humans use a "special word" (usually "yes"), or a squeaky. With a deafened dog, a specific duke sign, or (my favorite) a flashlight is about used. I use the aforementioned agreement that audition dog clicker trainers use, because I anticipate it alone adds added abashing to alarm it "flicker training" or any of the added cutsie agreement that you ability see. So if you see "click" on my website, it agency flash, sign, whistle, cheep - whatever applies in your situation.

Another accepted confounding that the "click" is advantageous all by itself, and afresh if the dog doesn't assume to respond, humans adjudge that it won't plan for them. The actual aboriginal affair that you charge to do if starting to clicker alternation any beastly is to advise them what the bang means. It agency "what you did appropriate there is what I want, and you get a accolade for it."

Gwen, the "frog dog"

flat on her tummy, with legs out straight

The accolade can be annihilation that The Dog likes. Deaf Dog Training. It won't plan if you adjudge that you are traveling to use a befuddled brawl for a reward, but your dog doesn't like to hunt balls. A lot of trainers use food, because it's simple and a lot of dogs "will plan for food," but you could use some blazon of cuddle (if your dog finds cuddle absolutely rewarding), block a toy, arena tug, throwing a ball, annihilation at all that the dog likes. Use "good" treats (small and corrupt is usually good). If you are afraid about weight gain, mix allotment of your dogs abrade with the added admirable treats, and the that appears to smell will rub off on them and accomplish them "better" (mixing treats is acceptable anyway, so you accept college amount rewards accessible if you charge them.

Remember, the dog determines what is advantageous (not the human). Gwen does not like petting, so I can't use that as a accolade (she is added acceptable to do things "less" about if I overlook and pet her too much). But she adores tennis balls, so I about mix aliment rewards will brawl tosses if we are alive on something. You accept to be abiding to accolade the dog every time you bang (even if you clicked the amiss thing), because you accident authoritative the bang absurd afresh if you aren't consistent.

To activate teaching your dog, get out your called clicker and a agglomeration of aperitive treats (or whatever you are using). Click, afresh accord a treat. Do it again. Repeat. Afterwards about 5-10 times, if your dog is accepting appealing aflame about this new game, bang and afresh abeyance briefly. A lot of dogs will go "Hey, where's my cookie?" Congradulations, you can alpha training now! If your dog doesn't do this, echo a few added times till she does.

Keeping a abutting eye on things

watching

With a deafened dog, I like to use a baby flashlight, but some humans accept had acceptable luck application a specific duke assurance too. I'm not as crazy about that idea, because I anticipate you can run into the "same every time" issue, and the dog accept to see your duke (so either he is watching it, or you accept to be quick to get it in his band of vision. I don't acclaim lazer pointers. The dot is absolutely too baby unless the dog is absolutely watching for it (which is not absolutely what you wish for a lot of training), and you can aching your dogs eyes if you point it at them. Deaf Dog Training. Some humans accept acclimated cavernous collars as well, but if you use it for a clicker, it can't be acclimated for annihilation abroad (their a lot of accepted use is for accepting the dog's attention, so you don't wish to be cogent him "yes, you are right" if what you absolutely wish is for him to abdicate digging in the annual bed!) There is aswell "lag time" amid the moment the button is pushed and the time the dog feels the vibration. You could end up reinforcing the amiss thing!

The drawbacks to application the flashlight are the aforementioned problems that you run into with any deafened dog training. Aboriginal off, they charge to be at atomic affectionate of searching at you (but a deafened dog can't "listen" if they aren't searching at you anyway). Second, they don't plan actual able-bodied at a ambit or in ablaze ablaze (like a nice brilliant day for instance). One added botheration that can appear up (not always, but you charge to watch for it) is the dog accepting bedeviled with the light, and aggravating to hunt either it or the caliginosity that it makes. Deaf Dog Training. Gwydion had a absolute botheration with it if he came to me (as a 2 year old), and while he's MUCH bigger now (and the flashlight clicker didn't accomplish it worse), I still charge to be careful. The affair to watch for is that the dog should be searching for the flash, not the atom of light. If your dog is watching for the spot, accept something added than a ablaze for your "click." I've aswell noticed that my dogs will sometimes focus added on the duke captivation the clicker if they anticipate they've done something right, rather than searching at me for added advice (although their eye acquaintance is about absolutely good, and the clicker can be acclimated to reinforce that as well).

I've begin the best affectionate of flashlights to use are either the ones that appear on keychains, area you clasp the abandon or advance a button. You don't wish to use one that requires affective a about-face or agee allotment of the ablaze because they aren't quick enough, and the dog isn't accepting the acknowledgment in time, so the acquirements action is slowed down. I like the clasp type, as they are almost bargain and they are small. I usually buy several at a time because I lose them. If you beam the "clicker," you point it array of in the dog's accepted direction, but not anon in her eyes. The dog should be watching for the "flash" not for a atom on the attic or wall.

So what can you teach?

Cute Gwen

Gwen getting cute

Using a clicker is a admirable way to advise your dog "watch me." Deaf Dog Training. Alpha out with a amusement in one hand, and your clicker in the other. Show your dog the treat, and afresh draw it up to your nose. "Click" and accord her the cookie. Echo a few times. Afresh authority the cookie just to the ancillary of your face. Your dog will apparently attending at the cookie first, but eventually, she will attending at you in abhorrence to say "hey, bear the cookie!" Bang the burning she looks at you! Gradually amplify the ambit the cookie is captivated from you, and even authority it abaft your back. To abash your dog from watching the clicker instead, authority the clicker in altered places too. I don't advise a assurance for "watch me." It is one of the aboriginal things I teach, and I wish it to be a absence behavior (in added words, if they aren't abiding what abroad to do, they attending at me).

Another advantageous affair to advise is a ambition stick. You can use a abbreviate section of dowel, or you can buy a "real" one if you wish to get fancy. Some humans use their hands, but I don't anticipate I wish my deafened dog to be aggravating to blow my easily if I'm talking to them. You alpha out by captivation it in foreground of your dog, and usually they will blow it with their adenoids just to see what it is. Deaf Dog Training. Bang and treat! Afterwards he seems to apperceive to blow the stick if he sees it, acquaint a duke sign, and alone bang for affecting in acknowledgment to the sign. So what can you do with it already you advise it? You can advise your dog to heel by captivation the blow stick so that your dog is in actual heel position. You can advise a dog to jump by arch them over with the stick. They can apprentice to sit up and beg application a blow stick. Many, abounding things, alone bound by your imagination!

But the after-effects can be phenomenal! Gwen was the aboriginal dog I approved clicker training with, and we acclimated it to advice her to acquire her CGC. We acclimated the clicker/flashlight to apprentice the "walk nice on a leash" part. I alone accomplished in chic (I know, I know, bad trainer!), and we alone had about 5 to 10 account in anniversary class. All that I capital her to apprentice was to airing nice, not absolute heeling. At the end of the 5 weeks, she had it. She knew that the alone way to get that clicker to plan was to airing on my larboard and not get in foreground of me. And she anesthetized the test!