People try to clicker train their puppy dog and get it wrong. I tried it and got it wrong. The simple fact is we didn't know how it works. People usually get the clicker from one of the major pet stores where they are placed strategically on the checkout counter.
The problem is that people don’t know how to use them and neither did I. We either click to get the dogs attention or we think its some sort of dog remote control. As soon as we click, something will happen. Well, yes. As soon as we click, the dog will run over to us to see what new toy we’ve got.
That’s not what clicker training is about and unfortunately, because people are not getting the response that they want, they think it is just a gimmick and clicker training gets a bad rap.
Luckily for me, I did some research and found Karen Pryor who is the leading authority on clicker training in the USA. I did the whole course and was convinced that it does work.
Clicker training isn’t a gimmick, in fact, when done correctly, it's a great technique that will let you communicate to your dog that he has done something that you like.
So what is a clicker?
The clicker is a small metal or plastic device with a tempered metal strip inside. When you press the button on the clicker, the metal strip is bent causing a click and when you release the button there is another click.
The sound of the click is very distinctive sound and is always consistent when pressed. The way that it works is not as a reinforcer but as an event marker. As an event marker, it is capable of giving incredibly precise and immediate feedback.
A clicker can be used to identify correct performance in the early stages of training a behavior. When the behavior has been mastered to just the way that you want it, you can simply replace it with a verbal marker or release command.
The clicker is not a toy and it is not a musical instrument. It should only be used to mark an event and not used at any other time.
Clicker training is not new, but it is fairly new in the dog world. People have been using it for the last 15 to 20 years but only as pet owners and not as trainers. It’s only in the last few years that classes and courses have begun to emerge that has made it possible for the pet owner to learn clicker training.
10 Advantages of using a Clicker
It is a method that will create a stronger bond between you and your dog.
It is a positive and motivational training method.
It is a gentle and nonviolent method.
Clicker training gives your dog instant positive feedback.
It is based on a scientific method that’s proven to work. They’ve even trained rhinos with it.
Clicker training is great for young puppies and older dogs alike.
It is an effective technique for big dogs. Both you and your dog benefit when your dog is a heavier breed. You
work in cooperation with your dog rather wrestling with him.
Clicker training focuses on what is right rather than what is wrong, which builds confidence in your dog.
Dogs take to this type of training very well because it is stress free.
it’s a very forgiving teaching method.
5 tips on using the Clicker
In each of the lessons I have been talking about working in a place where there are no distractions. This applies as much to the trainer as it does to the dog. The dog needs to learn to become focused and the trainer needs to be focused too. When you are training, all of your attention needs to be on your dog and the lesson you are teaching.
Use the clicker correctly. The key to successful clicker training is timing. The trick is to give the click at the exact moment that the dog executes the behavior that you want him to do. If you click late, the click becomes a treat marker and not an event marker.
Timing your click takes practice so it is better to learn how to click before you start using it as a training aid. Try this as an exercise to get your click right. Get a friend to drop an object such as a ball and you have to click exactly at the moment that the ball hits the ground.
Vary the height from which you are dropping the ball and when it is being dropped from only a few inches from the ground, you need to watching intently and getting faster on the clicker.
Identify a good reinforcer. Food is usually a good enforcer and dogs tend to like the smellier treats such as liver or cheese but make sure it is something he likes. Make sure that you don’t leave food down if you are using food as an enforcer and try to make your training sessions before dinner so that he is hungry and will remain motivated.
Use the reinforcer correctly. That means the reinforcer must be presented after the behavior. A reinforcer is used to reinforce the fact that the behavior was performed correctly not to induce or lure the dog into the behavior.
If you use the treat as a lure, the dog will come to expect it and it will then become part of the behavior. The best option is to not show the reinforcer until you are ready to present it. The dog’s attention should remain on you and not on the reinforcer.
Train the responses correctly. When we start using the clicker for puppy dog obedience training, we will begin with very simple commands such as sit and lie down. As you become more adept with the clicker and your dog begins to understand what his response should be, you will want to advance to teaching a more precise behavior.
For instance, instead of just having your dog sit, you may want him to have a more tucked in, fast sit or if he is fetching, to hold the object longer until told to release.
