[Jessieanne]

I am really curious as to what the purpose is of target training. I read the one post on how to do it and it looks like fun, but is there a purpose for it? And please dont tell me to google it I suck and researching stuff. Thank You

 

[agility collie mom]

Here's a good article on target training.

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/289

 

[drea]

Use targeting with Tucker to get him to assist in recalling. He targets my hand pretty well; now we're working on targeting a stick. I was also working with him on targeting a plastic container lid with his paw. I'm not sure what I wanted him to do with that one, so we stopped.

Hand targeting helps with directing him to a specific place, like a crate, or his bed or the back of the car.

 

[blackrose]

Drea - I love your name! LOL My real name is Andrea, and all of my good friends call me Drea. Our running joke was that since one of my goals is vet school, that when I get my PhD I can be "Dr. Dre". Hahahaha.

Back on topic now...

Blackie and Rose target my palm with their nose. I used it as a substitute recall. In order to touch my palm with their noses they have to come to me!

 

[melgrj7]

Lloyd is learning to close a door by targeting a sticky note. I can also move him into certain positions or places by having him touch my hand, rather than physically moving/pushing him somewhere (which he hates). After we master the door (almost there) I think we are going to move next to light switches. Many people use hand targeting to teach their dog to weave in and out of their legs, do weave poles and other things where you need to direct the dogs movement.

 

[Allie3985]

Targeting is super useful in agility. From learning to follow your hands to learning to stop with front paws off and back paws on a contact. I love it for obedience to because if my puppy will follow my hands I can easily get her into any position that I want her to be in. Then I can name the position and start to use the name as a cue to get her there without luring it.

I also use it for a basis to teach a dog how to learn. . .mostly for puppies.