The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training
February 16, 2010 by Dog Lover
Filed under Dog Training
- How dog training has evolved over the past 100 years
- Strengths and weaknesses of various training styles
- Challenges you will face as you crossover to clicker training
- Detailed nuts and bolts of clicker training
- 2009 Paperback, 328 pages
Product Description
by Gail Fisher It’s a joy to work with a dog who proactively engages in behaviors while you build a strong relationship. Clicker training has proven to be the most effective means of developing a âThinking Dog,â one who offers behaviors in anticipation of a reward rather than a dog who has been trained only to wait for his ownerâTMs commands. One of the biggest obstacles the new clicker trainer faces is his or her own history of training and habits of working with a dog. But you can make the transition once you understand how dogs learn and the mechanisms of operant conditioning. Learn from author Gail FisherâTMs crossover experiences as well as those of the hundreds of students she has helped make the ch… More >>
The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training
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the cover is great, but the book doesn’t make sense and isn’t the slightest bit novel
Rating: 1 / 5
If you want to learn about training theory & principles blah blah blah, by all means buy this book. If you need to be convinced about the merits of clicker training, well you probably wouldn’t buy this book, but she gives good arguments for the skeptic. If you want to get down on the floor & clicker train your dog, you already understand the concept but just need some nuts & bolts instruction on how to shape behaviors into the end result DO NOT consider this book. I read 160 pages before I was given my first simple exercise. 20 seconds later my dog aced the exercise, now what? My dog was to paw at a box on the floor and I was told from there I could have him do a number of other things with the box such as putting a toy in the box. Great! But how? I put a toy on the floor and my dog nosed the toy, click treat. How to get the toy to the box I do not have a clue, which is why I bought this book, to learn. Buried in a story 50 pages later was a clue on how to get the toy to the box. I start marking pages so I can go back and put it all together. Part II: Brass Tacks; “The way to learn clicker training is to clicker train”. Finally I think some specific instruction. Nope, now for an in depth discussion on punishments and corrections. This book may be good for your library, it is not without merit on the discussion of dog training. If you want to get out of the chair with clicker in hand do not waste your time or money on this book. I was so excited for this book to arrive and enthusiastic to get started. I couldn’t be more disappointed. I don’t know if on page 278 there is some great instruction because I read 187 pages and my patience ran out. I just want to clicker train my dogs. I will go grab one of those old trick books I have and figure out for myself how to shape the steps into the end result using the clicker. Clicker training is awesome! Gail Tamases Fisher’s book The Thinking Dog is not.
Rating: 1 / 5
This is the best training book I have ever read! Gail’s writing is beautiful, and she puts it in a way that it is easy to understand.
Even if you are not a trainer, but just love your dog(s) and want to learn more, buy this book!
Rating: 5 / 5
There is indeed a lot of discussion on how dogs learn, but if you don’t understand this then you will not understand clicker training.
She does a nice job of explaining the concept of clicker training. She does not give formulas such as if you do this or that your dog will sit, what she does do is teach you how to be a thinking and observant teacher. She also discusses the pros and cons of various kinds of training. I think this is a must read for all dog owners.
Rating: 5 / 5
When I first opened the book, I thought oh, right just another clicker training book. How wrong I was!!! Even though I made the cross-over 6 years ago and instruct classes using clicker training, I found information presented in a very novel, succinct and easy to understand way that is perfect for those who currently train with compulsion/praise or lure/reward training. Or… this is a great book for those who are attending their first clicker training class and want a text book to explain all those new words the instructor is using. I recommend the book to all of my students; experienced clicker trainers, crossover or new to dog training.
If you already are a clicker trainer or are trying to train with a clicker, you’ll find this book absorbing, practical and very useful.
Rating: 5 / 5