Clicker Training with Ball?

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This topic has 7sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 6 months ago by Q8bunny.

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- 09/29/2016 at 12:00 PM
  pinknfwuffy
  Participant
  660 posts
  HI everyone. I’ve been clicker training with Olaf for over six months now and it’s been a great bonding experience. He catches on quickly and has “spin”, “up”, and “tunnel” down like a pro. I’ve been trying to teach him to nudge a wiffle ball (nice and light) but he seems to only understand that I want him to touch it with his nose. I tap the plastic ball and say “ball” — he’ll boop it in the most gentle way and then look to me for a treat. It is charming and too cute for my heart! Any time he touches it that way I reward him.
  
  That said, any suggestions for how to demonstrate pushing or nudging the ball so he’ll understand the next step is moving it? I’ve tried leading him across the ball with a treat but then he just tucks it under his chin/belly like a broody chicken. Maybe he’s just not interested in that kind of action, and this is by no means a dire situation (we won’t be going on the road anytime soon!) but I was just curious if you had any tips for training this type of trick. He loves to play and learn, you can tell he’s trying so hard. :] Thanks!
- 09/29/2016 at 12:26 PM
  Vienna Blue in France
  Participant
  5317 posts
  Well you’ll have to not reward him until he moves the ball a bit…. and then when it rolls a half inch BIG praise and reward…. only when he does this several times can you add a command to it…. and then he’ll join up the dots….
  
  Check out this link to make a dog bark (party trick) but then also to stop… even better
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fcVPfkbYIM
  
  Patience and perfect timing is the name of the game – and I know you’ve got them both….
- 09/29/2016 at 1:15 PM
  pinknfwuffy
  Participant
  660 posts
  Thank you Vienna! Sorry if that should have seemed obvious, it’s just hard to figure it out when you’re in the middle of it sometimes. Especially when they’re so eager but not quite understanding. :] I’ll give it a shot and I’m sure he’ll catch on. Once he gets something it’s hard to get him to be overexcited about it so, fingers crossed! His little, hesitant spins have now become crazy binky flips when he hears the treat bag.
- 09/29/2016 at 2:43 PM
  MrBun&Daisy
  Participant
  166 posts
  oh my gosh! I have been wanting to clicker train but cant figure out how to get started!! Did he pick I up quickly? How did you start?
- 09/29/2016 at 5:22 PM
  pinknfwuffy
  Participant
  660 posts
  It takes a while so you have to be really consistent. I don’t actually use a clicker (it was too loud and scared him) but I make a “clicking” sound instead. Essentially, you click (with a clicker or making a clicking sound) and offer your rabbit a treat. Some people even use a clicking pen. I use tiny bits of dried papaya but bits or carrot or pellets work, too. Whatever your rabbit prefers. Do this every day until they make the association between the click and the treat. Click. Treat. Click. Treat. Eventually, you should be able to click anytime and they will come over to you. It took Olaf a few days to get it.
  
  For spin, lead your rabbit around in a circle very slowly with a treat. They may not get it at first but keep doing it until you get them to follow it all the way around. As soon as you get them around, click the clicker and offer a treat. Keep doing this over and over for up to a week. Lead around, click, treat. Eventually you’ll notice you won’t have to lead as much and they’ll starting understanding. With time, I stopped leading and just used my hand to gesture in a circle. Always clicking as soon as he made it around. Now, he’ll do multiple spins in a row before a treat.
  
  Tunnel? Same thing. Consistency and repetition. I lead him to the tunnel with a treat and then put my arm through the opposite end. As I pulled my arm back out he followed it through. As soon as he got the end I clicked and offered a treat. We did this over and over until he understood the game. Now, I just tap on the edge of the tunnel and he knows to run through.
  
  It takes a lot of time and patience. You also have to be willing to take breaks and not get frustrated. Essentially, you always want to “click” as soon as a task is accomplished. That said, you may have to start some tricks in small parts and then start putting them together. Plenty of videos on youtube. Good luck!
- 09/29/2016 at 9:18 PM
  Q8bunny
  Participant
  6345 posts
  I hope you’ll post a video of Olaf the cute doing his tricks
- 09/29/2016 at 9:50 PM
  pinknfwuffy
  Participant
  660 posts
  Here you go!
  
  https://youtu.be/pthG5vjhW0g
  
  This is his highlight reel. :]
- 09/29/2016 at 10:41 PM
  Q8bunny
  Participant
  6345 posts
  Squeee! Bless his little heart. He’s just precious.
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