Training disks

D · Post by D » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:01 am

Some one has sugested to me using training disks, to get Bellas attension back when she looses it on a walk.
I am very nervous about this, but don't really know what they are or how they work. Should I be going with my gut instinct and stay well clear?

Mattie · Post by **Mattie** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:13 am

The short answer is yes, stay clear of them, they are similar to the rattle bottle and should only be used when you have been shown how to do them properly. Trainers and behaviourists are snowed under with work because owners have seen this on the TV and tried it themselves. They can also make a dog noise sensitive and living with a dog like this can be a nightmare.

catrinsparkles · Post by **catrinsparkles** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:13 pm

Iknow a very good behaviourist who does use them in certain situations where needed BUT he never ever throws them at the dog.

He tunes the dog into them through the initial training and this envolves throwing the disks on the floor and removing the treat once - only once!

After that he has perfected a very slight chink of the disks which is barely audible but once the dogs have been trained to them they definately notice it and it works as a non reward marker and also does the odd thing where the dogs sort of forget what they were doing for a split second, and the owner must then use that second to ask the dog to do something different.

I think the disks are really effective used this way as they are not over used and very quickly can be put away as the dog unlearns the anti social behaviour they had learned and learn to react in a different way on these occasions.

However i don't think they should be used by untrained people as they are not supposed to be used as a tool to scare the dog and can easily be abused and over used.

catrinsparkles · Post by **catrinsparkles** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:15 pm

Also when used by this trainer - even noise sensitive dogs in the same class haven't usually been phased by the disks being used because he uses them in such a subtle way.

I have tried and tried and tried but have never been able to perfect this very subtle chink of the disks!

catrinsparkles · Post by **catrinsparkles** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:17 pm

catrinsparkles wrote:Also when used by this trainer - even noise sensitive dogs in the same class haven't usually been phased by the disks being used because he uses them in such a subtle way.

I have tried and tried and tried but have never been able to perfect this very subtle chink of the disks!

He has only ever used the disks as a last resort for veyr anti social behaviours that he knew were not fear based.

I think anything attention based really just needs lots of practise, teaching the dog to watch you and then building up the distractions.