Help with clicker training

[eb24]

So 11 week old Diego and I are in our second week of clicker training. So far he's doing really well- very food motivated and eager to please.

Here is my process: I have a clicker stick. I simply call for him and when I have his attention I hold the end of the stick (which has a ball on the end of it) a little ways above where I want him to go. He will run over there and as soon as he sits down and touches his nose to the ball I click, treat, and praise. We do 5-10 minute sessions 2-3 times a day, as well as intermittent clicks and treats when he is doing something good (laying quietly on the couch, ect). 

What I need help with is, how do I teach him delayed gratification? Meaning, I want to mark him to stay at one place for a period of time. But, right now, every time I treat him he just gets too excited and waits for the next one. I have tried moving away but he just jumps down and follows me. Is he just too young and wound up at this point or is there a method to this?

A little background: Diego was born in foster here with me. I just loved him too much to let him go so now he's a permanent resident. Part of the reason for the clicker training is I would like to teach him to be a therapy cat- he's got the right personality for it! 

Thanks in advance for any tips! 

 

[andrya]

l'm going to bump this up in the hope someone has experience. 

l have the clicker training kit for Rhys, but didn't think at 5 months old he would be old enough yet.

Now l think l'll start on it 

 

[eb24]

Ha thanks for bumping it back up to the top! 

Oh you should absolutely start now! Diego is only 3 months and he LOVES it. Tonight, instead of treats I used his favorite wet food (Tiki Cat) and he went bonkers. After we were done he just kept sitting on the chair meowing wanting more! 

I have gotten him to sit for a little longer by putting him into a sit and then clicking and treating. So, I click and treat after 5 seconds, then 10 seconds, then 15 seconds and so on. He will stay put as long as I am standing there but as soon as I move away he jumps down and follows me trying everything he can think of to get that click! I think it will just take time. 

Add to this thread (or start your own) on how it goes with Rhys. I would love to hear from someone else what they are trying! 

Good luck and have fun with it! 

 

[karen1234]

You're doing a great job with your kitten. He knows click means treat and he knows targeting.



If you are looking for duration, i.e. sitting someplace longer, you need to SHAPE duration. Here's how.


Right now you are creating a little chain:


Behavior 1: see target, run to place.


Behavior 2. Sit.


Behavior 3. Target is presented. Touch nose to target. Click/treat.



You've managed to click all three behaviors by putting them in the same sequence every time. Now I gather you'd like him to just stay there, while you move around.



So at the instant he gets to the place, remove the target as you click his arrival; then treat. Or, if you prefer him always to sit when he gets there, remove the target as he lands on the spot, wait a beat, and click the act of sitting. NOW you are reinforcing 2 behaviors: come/sit.



That's fine. Try it in other places, using the target to cue "come here' at first, and then waiting for the sit. If you want to clean it up some more, you can substitute a verbal cue and a gesture for the destination, and dispense with the target. There are lots of other things you can use it for in the future.



NOW you can start building the stay, and it's very easy. He comes, he sits, you count 1-2 and click (before he gets up). and treat. Next time, count1-2-3 and click. Then treat. Then ping pong around, sometimes clicking at 1, sometimes counting to 5, clicking and treating each time. You will build, or shape, a continued sit. When you have a good 5 second sit you can start moving. Take a step sideways, if he's still sitting, click and treat. A step back. A step closer. Wave your arms. Click and treat each time, so he learns "sitting Works no matter what he does, it just takes a little longer sometimes."



That's the procedure. What he does after you click is not a problem; Of course he wants his treat after you click; the click is a promise. What YOU do WITH the click --by holding off and clicking a little later, sometimes, is what builds new behavior or new aspects of the behavior.

 

[eb24]

Thanks so much for the reply this is very helpful! We do move around to different places and he's good about following wherever the stick goes and for the most part sitting when he gets there. You have made me realize that I need to move the target out of sight after the initial call and not present it again until he sits. I have started attaching words and defined hand signals to the actions (I made a little list so I don't forget them) but he hasn't quite figured out the word without the target guiding him into place. So, if I want him to start learning the words the target needs to not be such the focal point. 

I have started trying to wait longer between clicks to get him to stay but I like what you are saying about mixing up the timing- that way he never knows when it is coming but that it will come if he stays. Everyday he gets better and better!

I have read the Karen Pryor book you recommended and it was really helpful. Sometimes you just need to hear things phrased in a different way for it to stick in your brain. I know I have made some mistakes and clicked at the wrong times but overall I think we are doing pretty well! I like how Pryor says it's okay if you mark the wrong behavior because you can just correct it with clicker training! It's not just training him it's training me too! 

How old was your cat when you started training? Did you find they did better as they got older? Do they still enjoy it?