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

There are many dog training programs and to find one that works for you and your dogs can be a challenging and time consuming process. One of the most effective dog training, if not the best training program, would be clicker training.

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