On 3/26/08, Susan Coombes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The one thing that has bothered me about the clicker > training is the focus on the food rather than the game.<<
When first starting with clicker training, my horses and many others go thru a mugging phase. They don't quite get it yet and think that you should be clicking and treating without them needing to do anythingin particular. Many people get here and give up on clicker. After targeting, the second thing I teach is head down and build duration. It's a slow process to get to them holding their head down for long periods, but eliminates the 'mugging' behavior. >> The other > thing(oops that's 2) is that the feedback from the horse is not as > helpful.<< I find quite the opposite to be true. When I am teaching my boys new tricks and they first get it and I click them they actually nicker to me with excitement at 'getting it right'. And it's not like I'm withholding treats. They seem to be more excited about the click telling them it's right then they are about the treat. They will patiently wait quite a long time for a treat, like when I am taking the wrapper off of the peppermints. I feel that the clicker training has given me a form of communication that both the horses and I are comfortable with. -- Anna Southern Ohio
