Clicker training- the target (part 2)

[cactuspancake]

I’ve done about 9-10 “click and treat” sessions where you just click when bun takes food from the hand and learns to associate the clicker with a treat.

It usually only takes 1-2 sessions, but the more association the better, and I wanted to take it slow because I’m new and my bunny is a baby.

I introduced the target stick today. Mine has a clicker on it and an telescoping stick with a green ball on the end. I had a seperate clicker so I could move the stick around and make sure he wasn’t just going for my hand. I showed him the stick about three times, about 6 seconds apart, and gave him a treat when he sniffed it. Then I put it on the floor and waited for him to go near it. Anything close to touching the target is a click and treat at first. He accidentally touched it and I C&T (click and treat). I moved it, he went to sniff it, so I C&T. I  then began moving it all around me with an increasing distance, making sure that he wasn’t just sniffing for my hand or a treat. He went straight to the clicker and sniffed it like it was new EVERY TIME!! Then he started going up to it and nudging it with his nose. Each time I fed him a treat I hid the target out of his view and moved it when he wasn’t looking. He immediately went looking for it for a treat! He did it perfect over 20 times in a row. He did a binky when he figured out what was going on it was soooo rewarding!! I decided to end on a good note and just removed it and replaced it with a bowl of carrot shreds + lettuce. 

I had nooooo idea that the first target training session would be so easy! I thought I would spend most of my time waiting for him to just go near it. I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow. I will set up a video to show you guys how amazing it is!

[RabbitPam]

I was going to say that the end of the clicker training process is always 1. Turning off the running video camera and 2. posting your progress here.

That sounds excellent! I am tempted to try your technique. The clicker training fell off in my home because the slave is not well trained. *rolls eyes*

[Elrohwen]

That’s great! Hopefully you can use the target to train new behaviors.

I also found that target training was by far the easiest thing I ever taught. It took Otto at least a week or two to learn how to spin, and about a week to learn to stand up (without me leading him in the spin or stand, at least). It took him literally 5min to learn to target a tupperware lid on the ground. Now I even teach him to target new objects like a magazine or book or whatever I have around. Bunnies just love to check things out! I definitely would’ve taught that first (instead of third) if I had known how quickly he would pick it up.

[Author]

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