You bought a clicker. You have some treats. Now you don't know what to do. A good training session has a lot to do with how prepared you are as a teacher. Set yourself and your dog up for success and the sky is the limit for what you both can learn and achieve.
Be Prepared
Make sure all of your training goodies are ready before you start the session. I like to have treats the size of a pea during sessions. Treat bags are also a very useful tool. Many pet store chains have treat bags available now. You can also use tool pouches sold at Home Depot. There are also many training websites that carry them. Pouches that can go around your waist are less likely to fall off while training. Here is an example of a waist pouch: http://store.clickertraining.com/karpryorchoi.html
I usually put the treat pouch behind my back during sessions. Some dogs might fixate on the bag with the awesome food, especially if you tend to keep your hand in your pouch before you click.
I have found that putting your clicker on a wrist coil can be very helpful. Try to click and treat without your dog a couple of times. Grab a cup and some dried beans or marbles. Click and put the beans/marbles into the cup as fast as you can. It can be a little tricky, but it is great practice.
Reinforcers Should Be Reinforcing
Your dog may love their kibble at home, but when you go out somewhere else they may not even sniff it. I wouldn't either with all of the great smells outside of the house. Make a list of things that you think are reinforcing to your dog. Number one should be the most reinforcing. String cheese and liver may be higher than boiled chicken. Don't forget to add toys. A tennis ball might trump any amount of food for some dogs. Once you have list, decide which reinforcers will your dog respond to with high distractions. Hide those immediately. They are like Triple 7's in a slot machine. They should only be paid out during specials times (i.e. distractions, new behaviors, new environments).
Have a Plan (and stick to it)
One of the most helpful steps in training has nothing to do with your dog. Putting a training plan on paper can be so beneficial, especially when it comes to shaping. Write down how you plan to train the behavior step by step. Make it as detailed and clear as possible. What position should your dog be in when you begin training? What does the end behavior look like? What steps to the end behavior deserve a click? This is a great tool to use if you get stuck while training.
Capture a Captive Audience
Is there a place in your home that doesn't have many distractions? It might be the bathroom or an extra bedroom. When training something new, distractions should be at a minimum. Other animals, the TV on in the background, dinner being served...can all be something that take away from the learning experience. Make sure you are in a very "boring" place so that you are the most interesting thing in there.
Don't be Afraid to make Mistakes
It is okay to make mistakes. And it is okay for your dog to make mistakes. If you click too soon or too late, learn from what happened and move on. The best thing to remember that no matter what, a click means a reward is coming. Even if a mistake is made, a reinforcer should always be given if you click/mark a behavior. If the frustration level continues to escalate, take a break. If your dog decides to scratch their neck in the middle of the session, take it as your cue to give him or her a minute to regroup. If there is not a lot of progression, go back to the drawing board. Maybe you are asking for too much. Go back to the sheet of paper with your training plan.
Shape the Behavior (don't be the pageant mom)
If you are shaping a behavior, it can be so easy to try to lure the dog in the right direction or shift your body in a certain way so the dog will tend to move with you. Try not to do it. The cool thing about shaping is to watch your dog make the decision to on their own. It allows them to learn more effectively. Sit in a chair and plant your feet and your hands and wait. Let your clicker do all of the talking. It may be pretty boring at the beginning, but your eyes will light up with joy when the lightbulb goes off.
Throw that Treat on the Ground
After you click, throw the treat away from you. It may seem weird at first, but if allows your dog to regroup and reset. If they truly learn a behavior, they will be able to continue to give you the behavior that you just clicked, even when you throw the treat away. It is a good way to test your progress.
Have Fun
Lastly, training should be fun! Engage your dog. Make sure to reinforce as much as you can so that there is motivation for the dog to do more. Tails should be wagging and mouths should be smiling. Training is a way to communicate with your dog. Learn how they learn and get to know them on another level. Build the bond!
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