Clicker training is a popular and effective method for teaching young and old dogs new behaviors and commands using positive reinforcement. By using a clicker — a small handheld device that makes a distinct clicking sound — you can communicate with your dog and reward desired behaviors precisely.
In this guide, we’ll dive deep into the world of clicker training, exploring its benefits and providing you with essential tips to successfully train your furry companion.
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Understanding Clicker Training
Clicker training has been seen as so effective that it has even been used with humans. An article by Michigan State University CVM showed how a surgeon trained orthopedic residents in New York.
A clicker is also referred to as a conditioned reinforcer and is the easiest way to reinforce the behavior we desire by marking and rewarding it. It can be used for a variety of training situations such as bell training a dog, teaching a dog to sit and recall training. It’s also a great tool for developing a positive relationship with nail cutting. Especially if you have a dog with black nails which makes the process a bit more involved.
The mark is the click sound which is followed by a reward — typically a treat or toy. This whole cycle is one of positive reinforcement. It’s also one of the best ways to acclimate a dog to a muzzle.
Clicker training can even be used for tricks to teach cats!
Choosing the Right Clicker
Explore the various types of clickers available and find the one that suits both you and your dog’s preferences. Some make a more pronounced “click” than others so pick whichever suits your fancy, just stay consistent with it.
Charging the Clicker
This step is also called loading the marker. You can begin by simply clicking and giving your dog a treat. You will eventually pair this with obedience commands, however, in the beginning, it’s important to train your pet that every time they hear the click something good like food is coming their way.
This will establish a strong positive association between the click sound and rewards. You will know when you have completed this step when you click and your dog immediately looks to you for reward.
This is an important step so take your time and make sure your pet understands what it means before moving on.
Setting Clear Goals
Define specific training goals and identify the behaviors you want to reinforce. Clarity is key in clicker training and a clicker helps create that. You can begin marking behaviors without even asking the dog for them.
For example, when you are walking your dog on a leash and come to a stop, if the dog sits next to you without being prompted you can mark and pay that behavior if it’s something you want to see more of. In time your pet will repeat the behaviors that they are rewarded for.
Master the art of precise timing, ensuring that your click accurately marks the desired behavior, increasing its effectiveness. If I wanted to mark a sit I would not wait until the dog has sat and then began to scratch itself or perform some other action. I would mark the behavior either during or immediately upon completion depending on the complexity of the command.
We’ll go into technique further down this guide.
Another example is working the heel command. You may initially click and reward when your pet is simply walking in the desired position. Then as they offer that behavior, you may wait until they are looking up to you and marking that exact moment creating a back chain of behavior that will lead to your vision of the perfect heel.
Rewarding with Treats
Understand the importance of using high-value treats as rewards and how they motivate your dog to excel in their training. Don’t forget that you are asking a dog to perform a task he or she may not want to do so you have to have a high value reward to compete with the possible lack of desire.
If you found out you weren’t going to get paid to work at your job not many people would continue to go into work. The same applies to a dog. They have to want to do the task being asked of them so in order to help with that desire, it’s important to give them something they really love and enjoy.
Every dog is different and you need to experiment with different treats to find out which works best for your dog both from both a mental and appetite perspective. Keep in mind, some dogs can have more sensitive stomachs than others so use treats that are appropriate for your dog and avoid high fat and sodium foods like using bologna as a training treat.
You also want a treat that doesn’t crumble easily as the crumbles can become a distraction on the floor causing your pet to break the command you are so desperately trying to train. Cut up high quality meat or freeze dried liver tend to work best.
Clicker Training Techniques
Explore a variety of clicker training techniques, including shaping, capturing and luring to teach your dog new tricks and commands.
One of dog trainer Susan Garret’s keys to shaping behavior consists of splitting a command or task into smaller groups when you are training something new. Garret writes in her blog about shaping behavior “Most people lump the training steps for a behavior and ask for too large a progression from one stage to the next, overwhelming the dog.”
Consistency and patience in clicker training
Consistency and patience are vital elements in clicker training a dog. They ensure a steady progress and a positive training experience for your companion. Dogs are not mind readers as much as we would like to believe they are and we have to stay consistent and fair in order to avoid confusion.
As the Humane Society of the New United States points out in one of their articles: “Everyone in the family should use the same cues, otherwise your dog may get confused.” We need to consistently reward the desired behavior and never reward undesired behavior.
An example of unintentionally rewarding undesired behaviors is when your dog leaves a sit position because they want to smell something and you do not reinforce them back into that position before freeing them of it.
You may not recognize it but in doing so, you just rewarded your pet for disobediently breaking the sit command. These little inconsistencies add up and can create a lack of obedience to command.
Building a Strong Bond
Understand how clicker training fosters a deep bond between you and your dog, based on trust, understanding and positive communication. A wonderful article written in K9 Magazine about bonding with your dog states “The foundation of a great bond with your dog is basic obedience training.”
Clicker training is a fun, rewarding and scientifically proven way to train your dog. By harnessing the power of positive reinforcement and using the clicker as a precise communication tool, you can unlock your dog’s potential and shape their behavior positively.
Embrace the journey and watch as your four-legged friend flourishes into a well-trained and happy companion.