Clicker Training

[Beka27]

UPDATED:  i am now doing clicker training with Meadow.  every day or every few days i am going to update this thread with my process, how she’s behaving towards the training, what is working, what is not, etc.  feel free to read along, or chime in at any point.  i think this is the first time the clicker training process has been documented on BB, as far as i can tell…  i am using the rabbit clicking book that i purchased on the site listed below and the iclicks quiet clicker.

 

original post:

thoughts, advice, suggestions?

yes or no?  worth a try?

i know there is the Clicker Training book available online.  i prefer to check a book out at the library or flip thru in a bookstore BEFORE BUYING, but i have not found it anywhere around here.  is this book worth the price (and shipping since it’s only available online)?

i mentioned this to my husband and his response was, “why bother?  she’s a rabbit, let her be.”  but i think he’d appreciate a way to reinforce the good behaviors.  how much can you expect from a clicker trained bunny?  what kind of behaviors are focused on?  how involved does the book get?  i’m not looking for her to run an obstacle course or anything…  i have seen http://www.clickerbunny.com/ that corresponds with the book, but i cannot seem to get too much info about the actual process, unless i’m not looking in the right place.

any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Definitely worth it!!! I went to an info session then bought a clicker and went to town. I don’t train as much as I should but…So far Kahlua and Rupert can beg and know what the clicker means, and Kokanee can go through a hoop, turn in both directions and can follow directions (like go here, go there). She ‘s definitley the brightest.

I’d say clicker training cuts down big time on the time spent on the learning curve. Once they learn what the click means, they learn awesome fast. It’s an incredible marking tool. I’m told you can even clicker train fish. Most of the animals at the zoo are clicker trained and I even taught my horse to kiss with clicker training-in one session!! I’m going to take my clicker out and work with some of the rude horses at the rescue to teach them ground manners. It’s awesome and definitely worth it!!

[MarkBun]

I use ‘clicker’ training via whistling. Both Maryann and Dono can be totally peeved at me, hiding, not wanting anything to do with me, but if I give them the two-tone whistle, they come a runnin’ for a treat.

It is actually quite easy. Whistle – give them a treat. Whistle – give them a treat. Whistle – give them a treat.

Now, if you want to try to train them for more than ‘come’ with the clicker, then you should invest in a book. For me, that’s all I need.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

My mom got pretty confused with the concept-for some reason thinking the click was the command. But the click is the marking. You want to mark the behavior you want exactly at the second it happens. This is why it speeds up training. Saying ‘good’ or ‘ok’ is fine, but doesn’t always happen exactly when they do the behavior and has enough variance to confuse or at least not be as clear. As well you can never give them a treat at the exact second they do what you want.
This is where the clicker comes in, you use it exaclty as you would to train; You ‘shape’ the behavior exactly as normal (let me know if you want hints on shaping) and you click when you get the behavior you want.

To start, give a treat and click so your bunny learns click=good=food. Once they are fine with the click you can go to town and start training!

[Beka27]

we may have had this conversation before, b/c i remember you saying about the whistling Markus. i think i will get the book.

[JK]

All Edson needs is to see me and he thinks he’s getting a treat! I have a bun that doesn’t want to leave his room so I don’t need to train him in that way BUT I can see the value if you have a bun that’s in a different room or part of the house. Of course if I shook the papaya tablet jar he’d come a runnin too!

[Sage Cat]

I actually have the book and a clicker, but have not started training yet.

I think training any pet can help keep them from getting board. And we all know what a board pet means!

Glad to hear people have had success with the clickers!

[bunnytowne]

I see on youtube or google on buns that do the obstacle courses they use clickers. hmm sounds neat. once they get the behavior down do you still need to keep using the clicker on that particular behavior?    interesting I might try it too. glad you brought it up.

[Beka27]

i believe that the easiest thing would be to use it in addition to a word, so then after awhile you cna phase out the clicker and just say the word. so if you click and say come, the bun will eventually come to just you’re saying it. i guess.

[BinkyBunny]

So ironic that this conversation popped up because I called a publisher today to discuss selling one of their clicker training books for rabbits.

I actually have taken a course in clickder training rabbits at the House Rabbit Society , as well as I have read the book.

It actually is amazing. We worked on shelter rabbits during the course, and within a half hour, we were training them to touch their nose to a ball.

You basically go in steps. For example, in the beginning, you click the very moment you give them a  treat so they will associate food with the click, then we advanced by using sticks that have a ball (wth a bell) hooked to end of the stick. The noise interests the rabbit and they poke their nose to the ball out of curiosity. The very moment their nose touches the ball, you click and treat. They soon realize that if they touch their nose to then ball, they get a treat, then you can use the stick and ball to get them to advance to other behaviors, and then to a point where you don’t need to click at all because you replace the click for a verbal command.

You can also train a bunny to do a behavior like binky or flop just by rewarding those behaviors with treats the very moment you see it. You also begin to attach a word to the behavior.

So I know that really doesn’t explain it all, and though it’s simple, moving on from that is a bit more complicated than I can’t explain it all here, but all I have to say is it does work.

I just really never had time to follow through with it. But today, I started thinking that I could start clicker training again with the little extra time that I have now.

NOTE: I forgot to add.  I use the quieter clickers – I think they are called the iclicks, because the regular clickers for dogs, ended up startling my bunnies and it hindered training.

[Beka27]

hey BB, can you send me a link or tell me where you got the iclicks. i did a search for it but nothing came up.

[BinkyBunny]

Link to the quieter clickers that work better for bunnies – http://www.clickertraining.com/store/?item=traininggear

[kimberleyanddarren]

i had never even heard of this before, you learn something new everyday! i had a look around i might get one, i have had many moments of ‘OMG where has hopscotch gone!’ lol so them being able to come when called would certainly be an advantage

[Beka27]

OKAY! well, today i finally placed my order for my book and the iclick clicker (i got the green!) i was surprised that the quieter clicker was less expensive than the other ones i was looking at. i guess i will keep everyone posted with how this goes.

(my husband is STILL skeptical… so if nothing else i have to prove him wrong… lol!)

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

i believe that the easiest thing would be to use it in addition to a word, so then after awhile you cna phase out the clicker and just say the word. so if you click and say come, the bun will eventually come to just you’re saying it. i guess.

Actually, how it works, is to mark the behavior not the command.

So say “come” and when the bunny comes, this is when you click. then treat.

click replaces ‘good’ or ‘ok’ or ‘yes’ ; not the command.

Does that make more sense?

[Beka27]

i can’t wait to get my book… i’m really excited to start!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

When you get that “AHHAAAAAA!” moment, when they just get what you’ve been training….so rewarding…

I find that training really gives the animal some sense of control over their environment too you know? Like they really are at our mercy and to give them a tool, like beg, to communicate with us…I think that’s great for them too. Cute for us to see also!!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

OOh and Beka check out these links…this is what got me interested!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE9OXATfF0o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgDHWLyztCI&feature=related

http://www.clickerbunny.com

[dmh426]

i clicker trained Sophie, but with a water bottle. seriously. just like a cat. She knows certain words, because of treat rewarding in the beginning and intermittently, like “night night Sophie” means time to go back into your cage, but when she starts going for a cable or wire I say “SOPHIE NO NO NO” and would spray her body with water. she got the idea that after “no no no” came getting sprayed. so, every few weeks i break out the water bottle jsut to reinforce it if i need to so she doesn’t forget. My dad joke around that my bunny is better trained than most people’s dogs!

[Beka27]

hey dmh!!!!! i haven’t seen you around in awhile. that’s great to know. like i said my hubby is very skeptical that it will work but Meadow is really quite smart… so i think she’ll do well.

[Beka27]

wow. i placed my order on thursday. it came USPS (the cheapest shipping method) this morning (saturday). that was fast. i am absolutely impressed with the book and the iclicks clicker. it is very easy to press and not too loud. i’m hoping to start her getting used to it and associating it with food/treats this coming week. plus i have to get a few “supplies” for some training. i am really excited. if anyone is interested in my process, let me know and i will continue to update as i go.

[BinkyBunny]

yes, keep us updated!  That would be great!

Since I already have the book and the clicker too.  I should start back up with it, and get some video of it too.

[Beka27]

Day 1:

i woke up this morning, fed Meadow and clicked when i did, and then i let Meadow out.  the clicker is very small… about 1 inch by 2 inches, so i put the clicker in my pants pocket.  this also is so it does not become a visual cue, only for the sound.  it’s quite easy to press… all i have to do is press my hand against my thigh on the outside of my pocket and it will click with no effort at all.

yesterday i went and bought a bag of the little matchstick carrots and today i cut some of them up into itty bitty one-bite pieces.  i also cut some raisins in half or thirds and put all of them into a little kitchen bowl we have (small for seasonings and stuff).  this i put on my desk… as i do computer stuff in the morning.

i am clicking once as i hand her a treat.  i’ve been doing it all morning, maybe once or twice every 15-20 minutes.  she’s been head-butting my legs all day, so i think she’s enjoying the treats… but i am only giving one as i click.  not sure if it’s “clicking” with her about the clicker yet… i’m thinking i will continue to do this all week and see if she starts to catch on to the clicker.  she has been almost exclusively in the living room this morning (staying close by) whereas normally she takes off and chills in the dining room.  i have also noticed a few times as i went to a different part of the house, she has followed me… normally she doesn’t.  she was about ten feet away from me earleir and i clicked but she did not notice or come up to me… so i don’t really think she is equating it with treats yet.

so far the only problem i’m facing is treat control.  i forget that she is so ridiculously smart… she has claimed my desk as her own.  i went to get a refill on coffee and i walk back in and she is sitting on the desk and has just finished LICKING THE TREAT BOWL CLEAN!!!  whoops.  forgot to take the treats with me.  i cut up a few more carrot sticks and raisins… and about an hour later… again, i forget,  i walked away to make some lunch, and walked back in just as she started in on the bowl.  fortunately i was able to stop her this time before she ate them all.  i’m going to need to keep an eye on how many she is getting…

[Beka27]

maybe what i’ll do tomorrow is cut up some bits of parsley too and put them in the treat bowl so not every treat is raisin or carrot…

[Gravehearted]

ya – herbs might work too I want BinkyBunny to come over and clicker train my heathens! I think I am going to get the book and give it a try too.

I can see Viktor mastering one of those complicated courses after a while!

[Beka27]

Day 2:

same process today.  along with the cut-up matchstick carrots and raisins i have chopped up some flat-leaf parsley (so the leaves are all pretty much individual but still kind of whole) and i am giving her that primarily, with a bit of carrot or raisin in between.

so far today when i click, she has been turning to look my way, so i think she is starting to hear the click sound moreso than yesterday.  bit by bit i guess.

[babybunsmum]

cool!  glad you’re posting you progress here beka… i’m interested in this too.  i think pinky would be a great candidate! 

[Lisa_43]

What Clicker did you buy Beka?

[Beka27]

http://www.clickertraining.com/store/?item=gestclwiyora1&SSAID=173206

there’s the link… it’s the one BB suggested.  it is not too loud and can be pressed very easily.

[BinkyBunny]

When I took the class, they also said to take time to do 5 – 10 minute sessions. Having it repeat constantly in one session can expedite learning. One way to do this is use the time when you feed pellets to do clicker training, and just use their pellets. That will also help with treat control too.

It was funny because in the class we had to clicker train our human partners. Steve and I would have a particular action, like hopping on one foot that we would want the person to do, but we wouldn’t tell the other person what the desired action was – we had to use clicker training to get them to do it. It really helped us understand the process and what it takes for the trainee to “get it”

[Lisa_43]

I ordered my clicker training.

[Beka27]

so in actual sessions? i’ve just been clicking all morning long off and on. should i wait to do sessions until she is “getting” the clicker, or right away?

[Deleted User]

This sounds wonderful…how’s the progress Bekah?

[Beka27]

i didn’t do it over the weekend, i was too busy, and today i was “recovering” form the weekend. so i’ll start again tomorrow.

[Lisa_43]

I received my book in the mail, one question, I thought it came with a clicker?

[Lisa_43]

Mine didn’t, so where do you get the clicker from?

[Beka27]

i bought the clicker from the clicker training website. it was separate. you may be able to get one at a petstore tho too. i got the iclicks one b/c it’s what BB suggested. it is very easy to press and it’s not too loud as to startle the buns.

[MarkBun]

Beka,

I don’t have the book so I cannot comment on what it says but usually you don’t want to do it throughout the day. The bun will learn quicker if you do 5-10 min sessions, with about 15 seconds between clicks. It’s like drilling it into their heads.

[Beka27]

yeah. i’m figuring that out. i was kind of experimenting at first doing it for a couple hours here and there, and you’re right, she didn’t seem to get it too much. my problem is that she has the tendency to roam thruout the house, so i have to confine her to a smaller area for the training session.

[BinkyBunny]

I took a clicker class, and that is also what they said, just do it in short sessions. As they get distracted/or bored and the training then goes down the drain.

[babybunsmum]

hmmm… very interesting!  i’m going to try this with pinky & her pellets.  just have to find a clicker….

[MarkBun]

Yeah, definitely find a clicker. I found out an air horn is a poor substitution. Although it did teach Maryann how to instantaneously vanish.

I never had trouble keeping Maryann’s attention during the training but I also did somehting most others don’t – I trained her in her cage.  I would click and give treat repeatedly and as she had nothing better to do, she stayed focus on the raisin box and the click (well whistle but you know what I mean).

Dono was actually taught by Maryann what my whistles mean.

[BinkyBunny]

babybunsmum – we will be selling those clickers soon in our store. We already have the book, but the clickers should be here any day now.

Email me and if you are still interested, I’ll let you know how much it will cost. If you already have your address in your account, then don’t worry, but if not email me your address so I can be sure to give you the correct shipping cost options.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

My humane society sells clickers, so do the local petstores (in the dog section LOL). If your stuck, you know juice lids (on individual juices) like frutiopia or snapple? THose work too in a pinch, just rub your thumb and it clicks (remember that kid inclass who’d do that constantly? or was that just me! LOL)

[Author]

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