we had some success using the shaping method tonight with the clicker, ive decided to actually use the clicker with this dog and it seems to be working.
I did use it to solve the problem of loki pawing my face or hands when i was on the couch and he wanted attention and it was the only thing that worked, so I thought id give it a go for real this time.

He knows sit pretty reliably and is learning down so we did a few doggy push ups, and then I asked him to sit and said "good sit" but no click and no treat. So he barked, then he tried to eat my hand, he downed and sat and then finally pawed my hand and i clicked and treated.
he stopped for a minute and woowooed at me and then downed then tried to eat my hand, I didn't react at all and he pawed my hand i clicked and treated. i guess this is what they mean by throwing behaviors..kind of fun to watch the wheels spin.

after about 5 times of this he was pawing right away and i started adding "Paw" right after the click.

then the attention window was closed and he pounced on the cat.
He went to sleep really quickly after that so i think the mental stimulation was pretty intense.
But im impressed at the speed he picks things up at 12 weeks and a huskies arent known for their trainability.

I can see how this would be a good way to teach totally new skills and otherwise difficult to begin complicated behaviors

We might start the dog in a box routine tomorow and see how it goes.

Also, teach him "right" and "left" -- that's fun!

Huskies are just as trainable (learning phase) as any other dog. They're just more likely to blow you off once they know the commands, and they know you aren't holding a tasty sausage.

 Quote: david eagle

Also, teach him "right" and "left" -- that's fun!

Huskies are just as trainable (learning phase) as any other dog. They're just more likely to blow you off once they know the commands, and they know you aren't holding a tasty sausage.

I was going to do left and right..it would come in handy if I get brave enough to hooke him up to a scooter or bike in the future. I just asked him for his paw and he offered it right up...thats after one session smart little booger.
He also greeted me at the door with a Mole, very much still alive and squeeling, i dropped it right away and my husband is putting it back in the garden right now.
earlier it was a rat, yesterday a squirrell....gah i guess he is doing a good job, but i dont want them inside.
that true, they are highly intelligent, but are much like a cat in that they know what you want and do as they please a lot of the time....makes life interesting.

But I think the clicker and shaping activities might come in real handy since he will feel like he was the one doing the thinking rather than following simply following direction or obeying.
i can fully see how many people are drawn in by their beauty but cant handle their noisy furry bossy selves. They are certainly a challenge, but well worth it.

This pup also likes to go through tunnel type stuff, behind bushes, behind the couch, and does his zoomies through the "tunnels"
So I think we might try agility for fun, the clicker would help learn the steps I think.

Umm, ... can I send my moles over to your garden?

Jennifer - your not doing this work correctly - its more like floundering than shaping.

Read the e-book on marker training. I believe you will see what I am talking about.

1- the dog should be under your control and on leash
2- don't name it until you love it
3- If your treats were HIGH VALUE the dog would probably work a little better
4- it sounds like your training session was too long
5- put the dog away in a crate when your done.

 Quote: david eagle

Also, teach him "right" and "left" -- that's fun!

David, do you actually do this or am I being made fun of? It IS fun. And very useful for agility-type stuff.

 Quote: Ed Frawley

5- put the dog away in a crate when your done.

I have heard this advice before and wonder why it should be done? Does it help the dog retain the training session better?

Well shoot Ed, I thought we did a pretty good job of it, but maybe we botched it.

At this age (12 weeks) I was more concerned with making the mental connection of I do something and she clicks I get a treat.
He was on a leash, He is on a leash 95% of the time
we had an audience hence the kitty pounce, kitty pounces right back..he thinks he is a dog

the treats were beef tenderloin leftovers cut into tiny peices

generally I lure them into position but for more complicated or unnatural behaviors I understood shaping as it specifically relates to clickers to be the process of waiting for the dog to do what you are looking for or at least part of what you are looking for.
case in point the dog in a box routine, first they get clicked and treated for simply looking at the box, then for taking a step towards it, and eventually for standing in it.

Im not sure what you mean by floundering, It was my understanding of the process specifically related to clicker training that you just watched and when they did what you were looking for you click and treat, this generally results in throwing behaviors at you until they figure out what you want.

By having him sit but not clicking or treating he figured out that wasnt what I was looking for
So he tried a down..that didnt work
so he told me about it for a minute...that didnt work
neither did trying to eat my hand with the treat in it
finally he pawed at it and JACKPOT click treat

after about 5 consistent paw-click-treats I said paw as soon as it touched my hand click treat.

this morning we did a little work and it he was giving me sits, downs and paws consistently and in random order

When Loki had a habit of com,ing and pawing at me when i was watching tv in the evening nothing i tried worked..so i used the clicker. I would ignore ALL pawing which got worse once he smelled that had treats. the milisecond his paw left my body i clicked and treated gradually increasing distance and then length of time both paws had to be on the floor. I also added "off" to the routine and now if he paws at me i can simply say off and no treat or click is required, I do reinforce though randomly with clicks and treats.

To me, this was the big red flag:

"By having him sit but not clicking or treating he figured out that wasnt what I was looking for"

You asked for a certain behavior and when he gave it, you indicated that it was wrong.

 Quote: connie sutherland

To me, this was the big red flag:

"By having him sit but not clicking or treating he figured out that wasnt what I was looking for"

You asked for a certain behavior and when he gave it, you indicated that it was wrong.

I did praise, "good puppy" in the good puppy voice and gave him a head scratch...he's got sit down pat, will sit in every room, in the yard, in the street, for both my son and my husband and with the other dogs around, at this point I have him sit before nearly everything, before I set his food down, before I toss a toy, before I pick him up.

I know from watching him that he wont lift a front paw unless he is sitting down, he isnt coordinated enough to do it while standing yet he is all legs and clumsy. So i needed him in a sit to get him to lift a front paw.

If I clicked for the sit and treated how do I then encourage him to go further with it? The thought process i was going for was "ok i sat, that was good but she still has that darn treat..how do i get that treat!!"

My main goal with last nights session was to get him thinking and problem solving rather than luring and him simply following.

It was 8 minutes total worth of work from start to finish and the doggy pushups are a game more than anything, and help sort of focus him and get the willies out so to speak. We do those during the day when he gets out of hand it seems to work.