Tact Training (Touch Associated Clicker Training)?

[robinw]

Has anybody ever used Touch Associated Clicker Training (TACT) with their dog? I read that is is good for fearful dogs, possibly like Iker. There will be a seminar offered in Toronto next month and I'm trying to decide if it's worth it.

 

Does anybody here have experience with it? Has it been successful? Is it worth $135 for a day long seminar? Any thoughts or comments?

 

thanks

Edited August 20, 2013 by robinw

[Guest grey_dreams]

Robin, have you tried using a clicker with Iker? Zuki was fine with the clicker and we learned a lot of things together, but Zariel was fearful of the click sound, even at the lowest possible audio setting, which was very quiet (I have a clicker that you can adjust the sound level). So I could never use a clicker for training with Zariel. If you haven't tried using a clicker with Iker yet, maybe try first before deciding about the seminar.

[robinw]

Amalia, his foster mom in Seville, gave me his clicker. I forgot about it until now. That's a good idea; maybe I'll try it first.

[Sambuca]

If he doesn't like the click, substitute on any sound you want. It can even be a word, but if you use the word out of context, he still needs to get his treat.

[RedHead]

If the clicker sound scares him you can try using a clicky pen (the pens with the little clicker on the top that you have to press to get the tip out). Similar noise but much softer. Karma cowers when she hears the real clicker and I use a pen with my rabbit who I am clicker training so tried it with Karma and she is fine.

[silverfish]

Jeffie was terrified of the clicker, even on the lowest possible setting, so I wrapped the hand holding it in a towel, and held it behind my back until he got used to it, then gradually unwrapped the towel. I haven't worked with him as much as I should have, but he's OK with the sound, now!

 

He was the same with cushions being tossed over to the couch - maybe that's crazy but it's some thing we do here, if a cushion is on a chair and we don't want it, it gets tossed over to the couch - and Jeffie would leap into the air and freak ou, running out of the room and refusing to come back. But over time and with desensitising, Jeffie is fine with it now. We're working on footballs at the moment.

 

Trouble with Jeffie is that he's immune to treats when he's terrified. I really need to get that clicker back out. But I will say that touching him lightly on the shoulder helps enormously with his fears. We were in Terror Park today. That's not its real name, of course: it earned the nickname because it freaks Jeffie out so much when someone is on the flying fox and there are balls being kicked about. DH could not get him to walk in a straight line or listen to him at all. Jeffie was walking backwards (facing away from DH) at the furthest extent of the leash he was allowed, while trying to get back OUT of the park. I took him over, and by making him walk close to me, with one finger slipped under his collar so he could feel me touching him, he walked beautifully on a loose lead right across the middle past the children's playground, with his mouth closed and his ears relaxed. I wasn't holding his collar, just touching his neck, but he took great comfort and reassurance from that. I should imagine that touch added to clicker training would work really well for the nervy ones.

[Rickiesmom]

This is an interesting idea, I will be following the responses to this thread.