Clicker training is a fun and effective way to train dogs to be eager participants and enthusiastic learners in the training process.  This system of training creates responsive relationships between humans and their dogs. Positive reinforcement training methods are recommended by The Humane Society, The SPCA, and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.

  The concept of clicker training is based upon proven scientific methods of behavioral science and is a humane positive approach. It has been used with marine animals for decades. Trainers had to find a way to communicate to dolphins and whales what behaviors they wanted them to perform and how to reinforce that behavior from outside the pool. The whistle became their clear signal when a desired behavior was achieved. In the same way now, the clicker has become the event marker to the dog training world. In the process of building behaviors, you build a sound relationship with your dog. The astonishing feats marine animals perform during their exhibits attests to the success of this training method. Behaviors that are positively reinforced are more likely to be repeated.

   Detail and precision in training can be achieved with a hands off method that does not involve physical punishment or physical corrections of our dogs. Our relationship with our dogs remains unambiguously positive, as we are not with one hand praising and punishing with the other hand.  We are guiding our dogs to what we wish their role to be in our family and what behaviors are appropriate. We are taking a leadership role as opposed to a dominant one.

   The clicker itself is a small plastic box with a metal tab that clicks when pressed. The clicker is only used in training new behaviors. It works as an event marker to let your dog know the exact moment he is doing what you want. The dog wants to earn clicks because each click is followed by a treat. Dogs learn very quickly that “click” means treat, so they try to figure out how to make us click by offering more behavior to earn more clicks. In clicker training we are encouraging the fun, playful, quixotic nature that we love so much in our dogs while gaining manners at the same time. Traditional correction based training suppresses behavior, while clicker training relishes dog’s playful nature and keeps it intact.

  We click instead of using our voice, because a click is much faster and more precise than words. A click has no tone of voice, whereas verbal tone can vary depending upon our mood. In households with more than one trainer, the click always sounds the same no matter who is using it.

   Behaviors we want to encourage are clicked and treated. Behaviors that we want to eliminate are ignored or replaced with alternative appropriate behaviors. So jumping is replaced by training a cue for sit, or barking is replaced by reinforcing quiet or training a cue for quiet. In this fashion we encourage the behaviors we want and discourage or extinguish those that we don’t.

The clicker is only used in teaching a new behavior. Once the behavior is on cue and solid, the clicker is no longer needed it is a training tool. Positive reinforcement, whether food, praise, a toy or life rewards should always remain part of maintaining a strong relationship with your dog.