Product Details

• Actors: Karen Pryor
• Format: Color, Digital Sound, Full length, NTSC
• Number of tapes: 1
• VHS Release Date: March 1, 1997
• Run Time: 55 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 1890948012
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #264,244 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Magically trained, July 21, 2000

By 

JulieNV "joolian" (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clicker Magic [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If you have a pet you want to train, the content of this video is great. It's amazing what you can do with the little clicker device that comes with the video. Using applied operant conditioning (made famous by Pavlov and his dogs) you train your pet to associate the clicker sound with food and the desired behavior. The clicker sound and the food become the reward for completing the task. Karen makes comments over the video footage of herself training different dogs at seminars, as well as footage of other trainers with a mule and a cat as they go step-by-step through the process of clicker training, pacing, and timing. At the end of the video she reviews the steps for successful clicker training.

Most animals catch on very quick to this non-violent, non-abusive way of training. Instead of jerking and pulling, you get your dog to willingly learn and think about what you want him to do.

The one thing I did not like about the tape was the quality of the production - video footage and sound. I had to turn the volume up higher to hear her talking. The video is basically home video; which means the sound isn't always good and sometimes the scenes go out of focus. At .... this video seems a little overpriced for the production quality of the 1 hour tape. However, if you actually went to a clicker training class or seminar, you would expect to spend $95 to over $120 for a one day seminar or a few classes. In comparison the video is cheaper than an acutal class, but you would miss out on the benefits of socialization and training with distractions. Yet the video serves well as a reference tape; which is what I'm using it for. Plus you get the clicker free with the video. Clickers are pretty difficult to find at pet stores.

If you love your dog, or cat, or any other pet this video is worth it for what it teaches you. In comparison to a disobedient pet, a well-trained one is worth a million. I only wish they would improve the video production.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre and un-convincing. Save your money!, March 20, 2005

By 

John Abercrombie (BC, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clicker Magic [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is an amateurish collection of video clips (of varying quality- audio is generally poor) pasted together, then marketed by Pryor, who is at the center of the 'clicker industry'.
The clips showing Pryor working with dogs are the least effective: I didn't see one convincing example of a new behaviour being trained. A golden lab is still jumping up, a puppy is still walking well (not 'heeling') after working with Pryor.
Though Karen's numerous timing errors might encourage us to work through our own mistakes, a more proficient 'clicker' would give us a better model to emulate.
The amateur videos from other clicker trainers are more convincing- the segment with the cat training is especially entertaining.
This video would be a reasonable value at $4.99- the current retail price is outrageous. If you carefully read a good book (eg Morgan Spector's 'Clicker Training for Obedience' or Pat Miller's 'The Power of Positive Dog Training')and apply the principles carefully, you will do better than relying on this video.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Watching Karen Pryor in action - Wow!, December 10, 2007

By 

L. R. Travis "lotsoftreasure" (Mansfield, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clicker Magic (DVD)

What more do you need to say? Karen Pryor is THE clicker trainer, the one who brought it to the masses and still the authority. Watching her in action is priceless. You can really get the feel of timing by watching her. She models fading cues, shaping behavior, and much more. Well worth the money.