robinw Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) 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 Quote Xavi the galgo and Peter the cat. Missing Iker the galgo ?-Feb.9/19, Treasure (USS Treasure) April 12/01-May 6/13, Phoenix (Hallo Top Son) Dec.14/99-June 4/11 and Loca (Reko Swahili) Oct.9/95 - June 1/09, Allen the boss cat, died late November, 2021, age 19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grey_dreams Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinw Posted August 20, 2013 Author Share Posted August 20, 2013 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. Quote Xavi the galgo and Peter the cat. Missing Iker the galgo ?-Feb.9/19, Treasure (USS Treasure) April 12/01-May 6/13, Phoenix (Hallo Top Son) Dec.14/99-June 4/11 and Loca (Reko Swahili) Oct.9/95 - June 1/09, Allen the boss cat, died late November, 2021, age 19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedHead Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfish Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 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. Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickiesmom Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 This is an interesting idea, I will be following the responses to this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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