I have a question about clicker training an animal. Does it get
confusing if you try to use clickers for more than one pet?

My dog is clicker trained, but I wanted to start on my horse. I'm
worried that my dog hearing the clicks, and not getting treats
(because the horse is getting them) might frustrate him, or even train
him to the wrong thing because he thinks he's doing something right,
when in fact it's the horse doing something right.

Is there a good way to have multiple animals clicker trained in the
same household?

Can you get clickers that make different sounding clicks, and use a
different one on each animal? If I get a second dog and second horse
(SO wants one of each of his own), then I'm starting to get up towards
4 clickers, so I don't know if that's even a viable solution...

Is this even a problem, or do they figure out that you're working with
the other animal?
Isolation isn't always a solution, because part of the clicker
training is teaching interaction with eachother.

Thanks for any advice.

(TJ Girl) wrote:
I have a question about clicker training an animal. Does it get
confusing if you try to use clickers for more than one pet?

Depends. In a classroom full of clicker students, somehow each dog hears only
his own. But in a household where all the dogs are focused on and waiting for
the same owner to click them, 'tis a problem.

Is there a good way to have multiple animals clicker trained in the
same household?

Can you get clickers that make different sounding clicks, and use a
different one on each animal?

Soon!!! There is a new clicker coming out with four distinctive sounds. I'm
on the mailing list for the announcement of when it hits the market, and I'm
really looking forward to it. It will make training all 3 of mine together
much easier. I haven't found a way to effectively use the standard clicker
with more than one at a time.

---
Canine Action Dog Trainer
http://www.canineaction.com
It's A Dog's Life
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html
Get Healthy, Build Your Immune System, Lose Weight
http://www.re-vita.net/dfrntdrums

TJ Girl wrote:
I have a question about clicker training an animal. Does it get
confusing if you try to use clickers for more than one pet?

My dog is clicker trained, but I wanted to start on my horse. I'm
worried that my dog hearing the clicks and not getting treats
(because the horse is getting them) might frustrate him or even train
him to the wrong thing because he thinks he's doing something right,
when in fact it's the horse doing something right.


I can't say for certain, but I don't think it is going to be a problem.
When you're working with your dog, a treat follows the click, and
you're focused on your dog. When you're working with your horse, that
won't be the case. Your dog will figure it out in no time.


When I was first learning about clicker training, I jumped to a wrong
conclusion. I thought that the click would come to replace the treat.
If that were true, then the confusion scenario you describe could
happen. But that's not it. You chain more and more wanted behaviors
before giving one click, but every click is still followed by a treat.
After the first click with no treat, your dog will think "oh, she's
working with the horse" and go back about his business.


--Lia