Clicker training is easy and similar to teaching dogs new skills and desirable behaviours using marker words. It can be used on puppies as young as eight weeks old.
Pet owners may even be able to teach their pets basic commands within a day. However, the association and timing of the clicks are crucial aspects to get used to.
In this dog clicker training guide, we will discuss how you can effectively familiarise yourself with the clicker. Then we will explain the basic steps in training your dog using this tool.
Why Use a Clicker to Train Your Dog?
Compared to marker words, clickers emit a distinctive sound that cannot be easily recreated. Their click sounds are also neutral, allowing a consistent tone that prevents confusion in pets.
With marker words, there is always the possibility of adding emotional colour to the words uttered. It can negatively affect how your dog perceives and understands your commands.
How to Prepare Your Dog for Clicker Training
A clicker should never be used as a remote control or a reward. Instead, a clicker tells your dog that his reward is coming and “marks” the exact action that earned it. It bridges the association between the desired behaviour and the reward.
Hence, clicking the clicker should come first before the rewards or else he will fail to make such a connection. This means that timing is key.
Before you officially start clicker-training your pooch, do some practice first. For example, choose a specific word and then only click on the clicker every time it is uttered by someone on the radio or TV show.
Alternatively, ask a family member or friend to drop a bouncy ball. You aim to press the clicker at the exact moment when the ball hits the ground. Repeat this a few times until your timing is precise.
Don’t click multiple times as this waters down the clicker training’s purpose, which may cause it to become less effective on your pup.
How to Charge the Dog Clicker for Clicker Training
When you feel confident with your timing, you can now “charge” it with your pet. You must have small food treats on hand, ideally in a hip pouch.
The goal of this process is to make sure that your dog learns that good things are about to happen when he hears the click. It helps him associate the sound with positive and rewarding experiences.
Here are the steps to follow:
- Press the clicker, and when he looks at you or in your direction, give the treat immediately. You can also toss it on the floor. Repeat the process.
- Continue the click-and-reward process a couple more times. Change direction or position whilst doing so. This teaches him that no matter where the click is, a reward always follows something specific that he did.
- If your pet tries to get at your pouch or hand before you click, let him smell the treat. Keep your hand or pouch closed. When he calms down, click and then toss the treat again.
Click only once before handing the treat. If your dog finds the sound startling, soften it by wrapping the device with a cloth. You can try holding the clicker behind you or using a click pen.
Once he is used to the sound, hold the clicker on your side. Never hold it in front of you or point it at your furry friend.
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5 Steps to a Smooth Dog Clicker Training
Step 1: Look for the Ideal Training Area.
When training with a dog clicker, one of the most crucial parts of the process is keeping your pup alert for the clicking sound. So you would want to use a peaceful and quiet room for your initial training sessions.
Avoid carrying it out in a busy area of your home. Noises muddle the clicks and also distract your furry pal from focusing.
Young puppies have shorter attention spans than adult dogs. A constant barrage of distractions will slow the progression of your training.
Step 2: Do a Simple Practice Run.
Before incorporating clicker training into basic commands, use it on a simpler activity such as hand targeting.
All you have to do is to hold your hand close to your puppy’s nose. Click when your dog sniffs your open hand. Pause for about a second and then offer him food treats.
Repeat the process until your puppy has mastered hand targeting. This is a good tool for reliable recall and loose lead walking and also helps in resolving canine behavioural problems such as resource guarding.
Step 3: Start Teaching Your Dog a Basic Command.
Decide which command you want to focus on during the clicker training session. You teach your dog to sit, stand, lie down, potty, and other basic commands.
Catch your dog in the act of doing the desired behaviour. The moment your furry friend does the exact behaviour you are aiming for, click and reward him.
For example, if you want to teach him to sit, click when he sits, even if he does so by accident. Toss him a treat immediately. If he stands up to eat it, wait for him to sit again before you click and toss another treat.
Do not push him to do the desired action as he will be confused. Wait for him to repeat the good behaviour before clicking and rewarding.
Step 4: Combine Dog Clicker Training With Verbal Cues (Optional).
A verbal cue is a label for a particular desired behaviour. It does not necessarily mean the name of the behaviour but a verbal signal for your furry pal to perform a certain action. For instance, if you are teaching your dog to sit, you can use the words “perch” or “flop” instead of “sit.”
For a dog to learn a verbal cue using clicker training, begin by encouraging him to repeat a certain behaviour using a clicker.
Let us say you want him to learn the “watch me” cue. Take a training treat and hold it between your thumb and index finger. Hold the treat in front of your pet’s nose.
Then bring the treat to the side of your eyes. This serves as the hand signal. Immediately click when your dog makes eye contact with you. Swiftly follow it up by feeding him treats. Repeat until he learns to make the connection.
Next, do the hand signal for the “watch me” cue without holding a treat. Only click and reward if he successfully carries out the desired behaviour. This reduces the room for errors and teaches your dog that consistent results mean more rewards.
Once your dog understands the “watch me” hand signal and reliably performs it, introduce the verbal cue. Say it before doing the hand signal. Click and reward your dog if he follows your cue. If not, try again.
Repeat until he carries it out consistently. Afterwards, you can slowly increase the duration of time he holds eye contact with you and you’re done!
Step 5: Phasing Out the Clicker.
The clicker is used to build up behaviour during your dog’s learning phase in the training. Once your dog performs the verbal cue perfectly, the clicker can be phased out.
Do this by intermittently using the clicker as the training progresses until your pup can do the verbal cue successfully without it. However, do not hesitate to bring back the clicker if you feel like your dog’s progress is regressing.
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Final Points on Clicker Training
You must keep the clicker charged. This means that even if you click it by accident, you should reward your dog.
Later, you can exchange the treats with praise or a toy. Also, never use the clicker to correct bad behaviour. This tool is meant to reinforce desired behaviour.
FAQs About Dog Clicker Training
1. What Does a Training Clicker Do?
A training clicker teaches your dog that a positive experience is about to happen when he hears it click. This tool is useful for shaping desirable behaviours and reinforcing them, particularly during the early stages of training.
2. What Age Should You Start Dog Clicker Training?
You can dog-clicker-training your pet at any age. However, it is best to start when he is young, preferably around eight weeks old.
Ages lower than that prove to be challenging to train because of their very short attention spans.
3. Do You Have to Use a Clicker Forever?
You do not have to use a clicker forever. As we have said, it is mainly used to introduce new behaviours. Once your furry pal consistently carries out a newly learned behaviour, it is a good time to phase it out in his training process.
However, you can introduce clicker training again if ever he regresses to a certain desirable behaviour.
4. Is Clicker Training Good for Fearful Dogs?
Clicker training can be a good tool to use on fearful dogs since it is a hands-off type approach. Moreover, it breaks down a desirable behaviour into small steps. Doing so keeps them from feeling overwhelmed and allows for small yet multiple achievements.
Some dog clickers emit loud clicks, which can be startling to fearful dogs. So make sure to follow the top tips we shared on how to soften these sounds.
Conclusion
Dog clicker training is a good strategy to use when you want to teach your furry pal a new behaviour. When used correctly, the clicking sounds will encourage him to carry out the desired action consistently after a few tries.
Timing matters during clicker training. Thus, remember to push the clicker on time with your pet’s desired action, not before or after he does it. Do not stall in providing him with positive reinforcement as well. Rewards must be given within 1.5 seconds after the click.
