Clicker Training for Obedience: Shaping Top Performance-Positively (Paperback)

by Morgan Spector (Author) "Whether you are just trying to keep your dog from knocking your visitors down the front stairs or you have visions of an Obedience Trial..." (more)
Key Phrases: scented leather article, repertoire reinforcement, confident jumper, Karen Pryor, Utility Dog, Beginning Utility (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Shaping top performance positively! In this breakthrough book, Morgan Spector shows you how and why to use clicker training, the technology of operant conditioning and positive reinforcement, to train you dog. Whether you're startingoff with a new puppy or headed for the Obedience ring, these step-by-step instructions will work for you.

You'll learn how you can use positive reinforcers, instead of force and punishment, to build reliable performance at every level of training.

If you just want a hassle-free, truly enjoyable companion dog, this book will show you how, even if you've never trained before. And if you have visions of going all the way to top scores and Obedience championships - with a happy, eager, positively trained canine partner - go for it!

Here's your travel guide for a wonderful journey.

About the Author
Morgan Spector is a practicing attorney and respected obedience competitor, trainer and teacher in Southern California. In 1993 he came in contact with Karen Pryor and has been a dedicated clicker trainer since. He is well known ini dog-training circles as an advocate and expositor of operant conditiong techniques through his participation on clicker e-mail lists and his regular column in the NADOI News and the Clicker Journal.

In the latter part of 1998 Morgan began consulting with Canine Companions for Independence together with Bob and Marian Bailey to help CCI incorporate operant conditioning into their service dog training program.

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: Sunshine Books, Inc.; 1st edition (July 20, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962401781
• ISBN-13: 978-0962401787
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #136,204 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best obediance training book I've used., September 10, 1999

By	Mary Beam (Brookville, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

I live with and train Smooth Fox Terriers, considered by many to be one of the hardest breeds to train in obedience. Since I started using the methods suggested in this book, I've had tremendous success with my dogs.

My oldest male, who earned his CD during my pre clicker training period, after much hard, frustrating work, learned "go out, sit" in 3 short, fun, easy lessons. And, he learned to love to retrieve his dumb bell, finding what others call the "forced retrieve" to be one of his favorite games. And, that is the key. Having fun while learning.

The dog who has fun learning a behavior will carry that behavior over into daily life, and, for me and my dogs, Clicker Training for Obedience is helping us achieve just that. It helped me create a training program that is fun for us all.

The presentation of each segment for training a behavior is such that a trainer new to training can follow along and achieve success.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in having a happy, well trained dog. Not just for competition, but for daily life as well.

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very detailed explanations & very useful ..., June 1, 2001

By	Yeoh Siok Kee (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book ought to be read together with Ms. K.Pryor's `Don't Shoot the Dog' ... Ms.Pryor's explains the theory and how 'clicker' training had its beginnings ... Mr. Spector explains how 'clicker' training is done ...

Having read most of the clicker books sold by Amazon and now into my first year of training my Beagle & Labrador ... I think this is probably the best so far ... Certainly this book contains the most detailed explanations & instructions as to how 'clicker' should be carried out. Mr. Spector even goes so far as to explain why he uses certain words and expressions in his book ...

To derive the best benefit, this book has to be read carefully (and its a substantial book) ...

The book opens with an introduction to operant and positive reinforcement training methods, and makes a comparison between these 'newer' training styles and the more traditional training methods.

Drawing from his own experience, Mr. Spector then suggests the various stages of training for the dog ... Unlike many other authors/trainers, he begins with teaching the dog to 'target' rather than the usual 'sit, stay & heel' ... innovative to say the least ... and it works. The book covers just about everything a dog & owner needs to learn, including off-leash and distance training.

The strength in this book lies in the clear and detailed explanations for each training stage and training method ... It allowed me to consider what Mr. Spector was saying, to consider his reasons & rational of his advice; and this in turn helped me understand Mr. Spector's methods more fully ... All of which makes for more effective training of my dog ...

Although this book is very much designed for taking a dog through Obedience trials, there is much here that will benefit every dog owner ... even one who only wishes his doggie would stop jumping on his guests ...

Wish there were few more illustrations or photographs though ...

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even my dog loves this book, January 8, 2000

By A Customer

I'm one of those obsessive types. Before I got my dog I read tons of books about raising and training them. I only wish I had found this one first. Every other book I read focused on what I was doing and how I was doing it. Morgan Spector makes you understand that the key is in the dog -- which when you think about makes sense. Even though I have no intention of competing with her, I know that the most important things are being accomplished with the help of this book. Most obviously, she has been invited to visit my parents because her manners have improved so dramatically thanks to this book and its techniques. Don't hesitate -- if you aren't comfortable yelling at your dog, Morgan Spector is for you. By the way, you can theoretically clicker train anything, so this book can help you with recalcitrant cats, children, and husbands too.