Barbara,

I think the phrase-type commands vs. one-word commands are fairly common among performance trainers. I haven't met one yet that doesn't do it.

I use phrases, questions and borderline commentary for performance commands, or I'll say something totally different and give just the hand gesture.

There's nothing wrong with this. Trainers love to tell people that they're wrong <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> My goal is to be very balanced so everyone tells me I'm wrong - but my dogs perform with good attitude, so I must be doing it "right"!

When I go to OB class for distraction training the trainer rags on me because I don't use a stay command for the formal recall - but my dog stays - so who cares?

What I'm getting at is just because you didn't use the clicker noisemaker, doesn't mean that you didn't use operant conditioning (intentionally or not). Your dog is working through the same process as "clicker training" - he's solving a problem, figuring out what you want, offering behaviors and having tons of fun. You call clicker training a "gimmick" but it also seems that operant conditioning (usually called clicker training) are the ideas that you used (intentionally or not) to train your dog. Correct?

I'm a little confused as to why you would call it a gimmick... It works... so how is it a gimmick?

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a concealed, usually devious aspect or feature of something, as a plan or deal: An offer that good must have a gimmick in it somewhere.

I really can't think of anything devious about a piece of plastic and metal that makes a consistent and unique noise.

Anyway, I'm not out of coffee <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />, but my lunchbreak is over.

Barbara, Please tell us that there is a "SkidBoot Junior" in the works, we'd love to see him/her work.

I've seen that dog on tv quite a few times and he's cool as it gets <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />, very unique to say the least,

AL

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Barbara, Please tell us that there is a "SkidBoot Junior" in the works, we'd love to see him/her work.

If Skidboots were that easy to make, everyone would have one.

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I've seen that dog on tv quite a few times and he's cool as it gets <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />, very unique to say the least,

AL

Thank you. We think he is pretty special.

I love Skidboot! I was just sent a very nice segment of video on David and Skidboot.

As someone who has trained dogs for most of my life, I admire the relationship between David and Skidboot. There are dogs out there that simply do "understand" things we say, could be our inflection or focus or ? I would make a guess that there are many talented dogs out there, but no one is "recognizing" the talent.

David and Skidboot found each other and it's fantastic.

I saw on the video segment that SB is losing his eyesight, but his spirit appears to be good. How is he doing?

Here's the link to the video I mentioned above. If you are like me, you might want a kleenex.

Skidboot video

Barbara, I'm glad you posted, and it's good to "meet" you, Skidboot's mom. Skidboot is a wonderful example of the importance of a bond between a dog and its owner. As a child, before I knew about markers, before the days of clickers, I had a German Shepherd that understood me, and I her. My "marker" was my laugh, or smile, or just plain joy in my dog that she sensed. I had no one to teach me how to train, I just spoke to my dog. She did what I asked...I guess that's called obedience. But that's not what I was aiming for and it's not what I had in mind, what I wanted and had was a wonderful relationship with her and I loved her dearly. Everything she did, who she was, delighted me and gave me joy. She taught me about dogs, what they are, how they feel, what they think (yes, think!). I have had that bond with every dog after her, she taught me well. Their training is so much more than just commands, because they are capable of so much more than that. To me, their training is first and foremost the love bond. That bond is what makes them who they were meant to be. It breathes life into a dog. Some say a dog is a dog is a dog. But unless one knows what a dog is at its core....kind of like saying a rose is a rose means nothing unless one has smelled every imaginable fragrance that comes from a rose. A dog's world IS his owner, and that comes from the bond. A dog is always trying to understand what you're saying, so very eager to please and be a part of you. Remarkably intelligent creatures, way beyond "sit", "down", "stay".
All this to say that Skidboot is a public ambassador for what a dog really is and wants to be. A big thank you to you and David.

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Trainers love to tell people that they're wrong <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> My goal is to be very balanced so everyone tells me I'm wrong - but my dogs perform with good attitude, so I must be doing it "right"!

The only thing two trainers seem to agree on is what a third trainer is doing wrong. And Barbara, that dog of yours is nothing short of amazing!

Oh boy, tissues for the whole office this morning. Wonderful video/story. Who, now, will ever forget Skidboot?