Getting a puppy in 7 days and have bought into the marker training concept and have bought a couple of clickers (I am sure I will loose them along the way ) However, getting my doubt if I should use clicker or vocal marker (eg. the word yes). Ideally I would use both but not sure how that would work. I guess I would need to load both the clicker and the word yes. Maybe start with the clicker and then transition to the yes marker? Thoughts?
Re: Vocal marker or clicker? You can certainly use both. I use a clicker a lot, and love the consistency of it. My dogs love it, too and respond really well. I do use vocal markers in the case that it's not practical to use the clicker, and they do respond to that, too, but nowhere near as strongly. I think having a calm voice marker is also a good idea where you don't want to create excitement, eg when you're trying to praise them for settling down on their bed, a soft "good" is handy - although they wouldn't get treats for this; maybe a little stroke, but nothing to excite them again. I also tend to move to a vocal command for longer activities, such as heel walking. If they're doing it exactly how I would like (not today - hah!) then they get a "good girl" or "good boy", followed by a treat as we go along. But when the parameters change and they need more focus of the exact behaviour I'm after, the clicker is great to mark exactly. I'm new to all this, but that's what works for me so far!
Re: Vocal marker or clicker? [quote author=snowbunny link=topic=9345.msg134116#msg134116 date=1420227125] You can certainly use both. I use a clicker a lot, and love the consistency of it. My dogs love it, too and respond really well. I do use vocal markers in the case that it's not practical to use the clicker, and they do respond to that, too, but nowhere near as strongly. I think having a calm voice marker is also a good idea where you don't want to create excitement, eg when you're trying to praise them for settling down on their bed, a soft "good" is handy - although they wouldn't get treats for this; maybe a little stroke, but nothing to excite them again. I also tend to move to a vocal command for longer activities, such as heel walking. If they're doing it exactly how I would like (not today - hah!) then they get a "good girl" or "good boy", followed by a treat as we go along. But when the parameters change and they need more focus of the exact behaviour I'm after, the clicker is great to mark exactly. I'm new to all this, but that's what works for me so far! [/quote] Thanks for responding. So did you 'load' the vocal marker like I supposed you loaded the clicker early on or did it just happen naturally?
Re: Vocal marker or clicker? For me, it happened naturally, since I'd often use the vocal marker alongside the clicker. So, charge the clicker and rely on that predominantly, but don't be afraid to chuck in the odd "good boy!" as well. Like I said, I may be wrong here, but it's working so far. Tell us a bit about your puppy - and photos are obligatory when you get him/her
Re: Vocal marker or clicker? I started with a clicker, but now I rarely use it and often forget to take it out with me on day to day walks. I can make a click noise with tongue however which Penny responds to in the same way.
Re: Vocal marker or clicker? [quote author=snowbunny link=topic=9345.msg134124#msg134124 date=1420227583] For me, it happened naturally, since I'd often use the vocal marker alongside the clicker. So, charge the clicker and rely on that predominantly, but don't be afraid to chuck in the odd "good boy!" as well. Like I said, I may be wrong here, but it's working so far. Tell us a bit about your puppy - and photos are obligatory when you get him/her [/quote] He has just rounded 8 weeks, another 1 week to go. Cannot wait, have waited for him since he was like 3 weeks. Here he is: http://www.thelabradorforum.com/index.php?topic=9264.msg133045#msg133045 http://www.thelabradorforum.com/index.php?topic=9184.msg131695#msg131695
Re: Vocal marker or clicker? I inadvertently created a vocal marker without thinking. Particularly when walking to heel she always looks up at me to the words "good girl" expecting a reward. They are little sponges. You actually have to carefully think about all your interactions as more goes on than meets the eye I believe.
