When I first began clicker training I wasn't really ready and it was unfair on Shadow's behalf- having some raving idiot who doesn't know what they're doing around a 4 year old cob who is very honest- but I'm glad he was honest, and I realized that I had made a lot of mistakes and we're back on track now!
So last Wednesday I went to the yard with a positive attitude that we were going to do it we were going to succeed, I bought the book with me and practically have the rules of shaping carved into my mind- I decided to start with a brush ( my resources are limited!) and began shaping with him touching it. I first of all held the brush out in front of him- he touched it and got a click/treat, I repeated this and then he was really getting the hang of it- so I felt it was time for the next step and I added in the verbal cue 'Touch it', this went well- he touched it when I asked and didn't touch any other time- it was really exciting and I was having as much fun as he was- it was a great sense of achievement of both of our behalves!
Step 3 was lowering the brush more and more each time- I remember reading in the book about lowering it a few inches and so I did this - et voila! He responded to it, I put it on the floor as we were by now pretty close and I asked him to touch it- he did seem to not understand, I bought the brush back up and asked again and he did it. He touched the brush and I was so happy with him.
He was very enthusiastic, I had tied him up ( in previous sessions he was all over me) but then I realized he was struggling to reach it despite being at the end of the rope, so I moved it a little closer- being untied was the next step- well it was going to be and then I ran out of treats!!!! I wanted to cry so much!!
Yesterday we experimented with the cones I bought - I only could afford two because I'm a real cheap skate- 9 inch cones were a pound each and I stupidly thought £2 would be enough to buy like a whole pack- but there we go! I think I may have rushed him actually, and although the sessions wasn't overall bad, I think when I get back from my holiday I will get cracking- I'm going to forget the cones for moment and I'm going to solely focus on standing still at the moment, I think that's his biggest problem at the moment he's got ants in his pants and has broken the wooden tying rack several times ( okay the wood needs replacing as it's rotten), also I'd like to be able to do the fun activities with him when he's out of my space- I'd like him to back up, stand still, come forward and move over when asked- so this is what I'm going to focus on for now!!!
Thanks for reading :)
Love Amy and Shadow xxxxx
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