Clicker Training for Beginners Lesson 6
Hopefully at this point your bird is to the point of being able to follow the target stick. So, we are going to add the cue now.
Before we add the cue I want to point out just a few things. Always hide your target stick in between trials, even while you feed. If the target stick is out and in the birds view and they can't get to it, you may be weakening the desire to touch it. Also, try to click right as the bird is touching or just before. The moment the bird touches is best but slightly before is better than after. I'm not getting to see what everyone is doing so I just want to put that out there as a reminder.
The "cue" is the stimulus that causes a behavior to happen. In this case, at the moment the "cue" is simply presentation of the stick. In other words, the stick coming out cues the bird to follow it. We will add a verbal cue too so you are familiar with how to add verbal cues.
When adding a cue you say the cue or word just before the animal performs the behavior. In this case, we know that presentation of the target stick causes the animal to touch the stick, so we can reliably predict that it will do the behavior. So, as you are presenting the stick or just before the bird can see it say "touch" and then present the stick. Continue to click and treat after they touch it.
Hopefully at this point your bird is to the point of being able to follow the target stick. So, we are going to add the cue now.
Before we add the cue I want to point out just a few things. Always hide your target stick in between trials, even while you feed. If the target stick is out and in the birds view and they can't get to it, you may be weakening the desire to touch it. Also, try to click right as the bird is touching or just before. The moment the bird touches is best but slightly before is better than after. I'm not getting to see what everyone is doing so I just want to put that out there as a reminder.
The "cue" is the stimulus that causes a behavior to happen. In this case, at the moment the "cue" is simply presentation of the stick. In other words, the stick coming out cues the bird to follow it. We will add a verbal cue too so you are familiar with how to add verbal cues.
When adding a cue you say the cue or word just before the animal performs the behavior. In this case, we know that presentation of the target stick causes the animal to touch the stick, so we can reliably predict that it will do the behavior. So, as you are presenting the stick or just before the bird can see it say "touch" and then present the stick. Continue to click and treat after they touch it.