Seems that most books on clicker training, bridge and target training, etc. seem to be "exclusively for the mass market." (That's an oxymoron I never thought I would write.) That is, they're fairly trivial, concentrate on cutesy tricks, are written ONLY for the companion animal owner, etc.

Yet some of the best trainers, including trainers on these boards, find value in these methods, and use them with good results. I must be missing SOMETHING.

So-- if you know of any substantial books written on clicker and bridge and target training, including books written for sporting dogs or advanced obedience, would you please post about them?

Even freestyle danci--- NO. Forget I said that. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I feel your pain Wayne. I really dislike just about every book I've read on "Clicker Training".


So if you want something in depth and for the hard core trainer. . .find yourself some learning theory books that cover operant conditioning, classic conditioning, and mainly the use of a conditioned reinforcer.


A clicker is a conditioned reinforcer, it is that damn simple. Learn how to apply that using the available learning theory and you've got it. . .in a much more in depth hard core badazz working dog trainer format.


There are many books out on the subject, I wouldn't look for "Clicker Training" books, but that's just me.


Karen Pryor bugs the everliving crap outta me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />


So hit Amazon and do a search on B.F. Skinner or learning theory. . .you'll get a zillion hits worth of goodies.


At the same time you can brush up on compulsion, "positive" training, and everything you'll need for the serious working dog.

The first target/clicker training article I read was written for horses, specifically target training and trailer loading. Unfortunately all of my horse magazines are packed up and I have no idea which magazine or issue.

I had to buy the latest edition of John Alcock's Animal Behavior for a class. The first time I opened it up I thought I bought the coffee table version. Save yourself the money and get some older classics instead (unless you want to read about hyena mating and see lots of bird pictures) or at least something with a psychological perspective instead of ethological (not that it's bad, just that I don't feel that it helped me nearly as much with training).

VanCamp, I'm glad you said that. Pryor turned me off so bad that it took me years to even play with my dog and a clicker. Evangalism in always makes me really nervous -- especially itellectualized evangalism.

Clicker training is a whole lot easier to DO than to read about. Since it's non-compulsion, it's darn hard to break anything. So what's to loose? Fun, but I wouldn't throw my ecollar and prong out the window for it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Try Clicker Training for Obedience by Morgan Specter. It is geared toward the competitor.

I second the post about Morgan Spector's book. Lots of ideas and very detailed. I have been using it for training the UD.

Louise-- I visited your website. Your dog looks great, and so does the combination of very impressive sport dog titles and obedience titles.

Dang. Between all of these books and Ed's puppy-training videotapes (haven't bought them yet, but soon), I'm going to be too broke to pay attention.

Louise,
I'm going to second that about how nice your website for your dog is! A lot of big name breeders could learn something from taking a look at your website.

That is one of the most informative and easy to navigate websites for a single dog that I have *ever* seen.
Good explanations of the different dog sports, and a good choice of links.
Nice, nice, job! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />