What Is A Clicker?
A clicker is a small rectangular plastic box with a metal button on top that clicks, hence the name clicker. It’s the type of training that the dog decides whether or not it suits him. There have been a lot of success stories with clicker training for dogs and other animals such as cats, horses, dolphins, birds, rabbits, and many other smaller pets. It is a widely practiced training method and does produce results; if carried out properly.

How Clicker Training Works?

Clicker training promotes enforced training, without punishment! It employs the same principle like how we motivate humans to perform for better and consistent results—we’ll be rewarded if we do something good and thus are going to do the same again. Just as a dog would think the same way. Dogs learn through consequences, if they do something and it earns them a treat and praise they are going to want to do it again because they like this consequence. If they do something that you don’t like and they get ignored or said no to in a stern voice they know that they aren’t going to get any treats so are not going to do it again.

Clicker dog training works in such a way it reinforces good behavior. If your dog sits, click the clicker, and give him a treat. The next time your dog sits do the same but don’t say anything to him. Your dog will soon realize that when he sits he will get a treat and hear a click, so when you eventually come to click before he sits your dog knows he is asked to sit.

Punishment Is Not Required!

Punishment is not used with clicker dog training. Although punishment does stop some bad behavior it may also create another unwanted behavior. Punishment should always carried out immediately after (or in some case during the act) the dog has done something wrong so dogs see punishment as a random consequence therefore punishment doesn’t really solve anything.

Recommended Reading:

• Clicking With Your Dog: Step-By-Step in Pictures (Karen Pryor Clicker Books) by Peggy Tillman
• Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor

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Materials Needed:

• Litter tray
• Litter material
• Play pen
• A lot of patience and perseverance

Methods on Potty Training your Rabbit:

1. Place a litter tray big enough for your rabbit in a corner of its playpen. Fill it with litter material like pin pellets—never use clay clumping cat litter as the rabbit may eat it and suffer digestive problems.
2. Put hay into the tray as a reward for the rabbit whenever it jumps in. Speed up training by placing some of its droppings and already soiled pine pellets into the tray to associate peeing with the tray.
3. It’s a good sign if the rabbit digs or sleeps in the tray. Praise and reward it with food when you see it using the tray. Do not yell if it pees outside. Just say “No!” firmly and bring it to the tray.
4. Be patient. If you find droppings outside the tray, keep putting them back. Clean the tray regularly but not so often till all scent is removed. If your rabbit pees in the wrong place (e.g. the sofa), clean up completely or it will use it again

Remember, training a rabbit is like training a dog or a cat. Be patient and persist for at least a few weeks.

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What You Need to Consider Before Buying that Cat Door

You can find cat doors in most pet stores, online and offline. But before you do, consider these:

• Cat doors can be installed right in your door or next to your door for a wall mounting.
• Make sure you get the right size cat door so that it is big enough for your cat to get in and out without any difficulty. This will free you up from having to attend to your cat going in and out.To know the size of the opening, you will have to measure your cats’ height and width. When measuring the width make sure you allow at least a couple of inches more than the width of your cat. The height from the shoulders to the back of the front legs this will give the right height.

Tips on Training Your Cat To Use The Cat Door

Usually a cat will not automatically use the door without any training. You will need to train your cat to do so.

1. Have your cat beside you while you open the cat door.
2. Place your cat’s favorite treat on the other side of the door.
3. Once she’s on the other side of the door, repeat step two to encourage to come indoor.

Make sure you hold the door open during the training. This allows your cat to come in and out freely with a reward of a simple small snack on each side. It may take a while for your cat to use the door without your help. But once you caught her using the cat door without your aid, remember to get her rewards for her behavior.

Do not push your cat through the door when you begin training. This will terrifies her more than encourage her to use the cat door.

Once your cat begin using the door you will experience the freedom of sleeping though the night or not having to stop what you are doing to let your cat in and out. It may be possible eliminating any future kitty litter or mess where they should not be doing.

Related Topics

• How To Potty Train Your Rabbit
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• How To Train Your Cat To Use The Door Bell

D0-It-Yourself Cat Door Bell

Materials:

• Bell: Bells come in a variety of sizes. A small one, size of a meatball, would be the prefect for most cats. Bells are very inexpensive and can be found and purchased in many craft and DIY stores.
• String: Almost any string, yarn, ribbon will do. The length of the string or yarn should be long enough for your cat to reach the bell without having to jump at it or use the door for support.
• Catnip: Catnip is not essential but good to have for beginning training. Get catnip in a spray and spray a small amount of it on the string or bell. Cats love catnip and this will attract them to play with the bell.

Method:

• Tie the string or yarn to the bell.
• On the other end of the string, tie it to the door knob and let it hangs down.
• Make sure the length is reachable for your cat.

Steps to Train your Cat to Use the Door Bell

1. Bring your cat outside, facing the main door.
2. Encourage your cat to ring the bell, once. Reward her with treat.
3. After she rings the bell, open the door for her to go in. Reward her again.
4. If she refuses to move, carry her in. And then reward her.

Repeat step one to three for three more times until your cat gets the message. Reinforce this behavior for 3 or 4 more days until your cat can do it without prompting. Make sure to keep the training short.

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An older dog will take a lot more training and dedication from its handler than a younger dog will. Basically, an older dog’s mind is a lot more “set” in his ways. An older dog has passed that crucial period in his life that influences what he will behave when he’s older. Therefore, he thinks he knows how to behave. Trying to teach him other ways to behave can take a lot of time and effort.

How to Teach Basic Commands to Older Dogs

It is not impossible but you can’t train an old dog like you train a puppy. You have to be a little bit stricter on an older dog because they have a lot more intelligence than a puppy and know how to drive you round the bend. An older dog will more likely do something if he thinks its his idea rather than yours. For example if he goes to sit , say sit and then praise him. He will think it was his idea and if you keep on repeating this process, sooner or later you will have him sitting on command. This process will work for many of the commands, like fetch, come, stay and heel.

Some Dogs are Just Plain Stubborn

In saying that you may find that your older dog is particularly easy to train, some dogs have a streak of stubbornness which means they do not train as easily as others but some are a lot more susceptible to training methods. Training an older dog will be difficult but bad habits need to be broken and long term habits need to be stopped. Your dog will thank you for it in the end and the end result will be well worth the trouble.

Get Professional Dog Training Help

Training an older dog can be a grueling task but try to make the training fun and interesting. Here’s are some places and ideal to help you make training easier

• Joining a class (not puppy kindergarten, for adult dogs).
• Get some support from family or friends.
• Invest in some training books and products like toys and treats.
• Go for training school like clicker training school for adult dogs.
• Hire one-on-one dog trainer.

One thing for sure is that the bond between you and your dog will grow and become inseparable once you trained him well or things he needs to know.

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• Clicker Training Dogs: Is This Training Right For My Dog?