tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-949429804668322923.post3435696571757129506..comments2024-01-01T05:03:21.620-08:00Comments on Books and Dogs: Discipline and PunishMichiel Heynshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675589171383939863noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-949429804668322923.post-75785931082134629352011-11-07T06:14:54.053-08:002011-11-07T06:14:54.053-08:00Right, I realise that 'bribe' is an emotin...Right, I realise that 'bribe' is an emotinally loaded word; after all, as the books point out, we don't say we are being bribed when we receive our salary check at the end of the month. Either way, the training is going well, or as well as can be expected, given that I don't do enough reinforcing at home. My friends, who are normally hyper-critical of the behaviour of my dogs, for once seem mildly impressed with what I of course regard as Simon's miraculous tractability (oh dear, words -- does tractability smack of bullying and cowering? Cooperativeness, then.) And thanks, Anna, I also think Simon is a great dog.Michiel Heynshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13675589171383939863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-949429804668322923.post-58633166263503416062011-10-31T21:51:07.787-07:002011-10-31T21:51:07.787-07:00Hi Michiel. A friend sent me the link to your blog...Hi Michiel. A friend sent me the link to your blog and must admit I really enjoyed reading it. Just some minor points with regards to reward based Clicker Training (for the sake of correctness); "The Bribe" - referred to as "The Lure" used right at the beginning of training from there on referred to and used as "The Reward" (and yes it usually is a treat, but could also be praise, a scratch behind the ear etc. - whatever works for the dog). As for Simon; what’s not to love, he is an absolute darling!! <br /><br />And Tracey, I do believe to each his/her own, but my question; why would one choose to take 6 months to house-train a dog, or for that matter teach them anything over such a long period of time if you have clicker or other reward based training methods available? I can assure the result is the same; a very happy well trained dog in a fraction of the time.Anna (not her real name)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-949429804668322923.post-60791465908951228172011-09-12T20:39:53.952-07:002011-09-12T20:39:53.952-07:00Having 'trained' two children to adulthood...Having 'trained' two children to adulthood by trial and error, and more often the latter, I decided to socialise my then-puppy, Balu the Monster Baby, with sheer kindness. Everything took MUCH longer (six months to house-train her, for instance), but the result is a really ridiculously happy dog. (She's been smacked only once in her life - when she stole a fillet steak off the kitchen counter and, I admit, I lost my temper.) She's now 2 years old and keen as anything to learn new tricks - without benefit of bribes, clickers or withholding of food or affection.Traceyhttp://www.salma-gundi.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com