Clicker Training: A Fun and Easy Way to Teach Your Dog

Have you been thinking that it's about time to do some obedience training with your dog? Clicker training is a fun and easy way to teach your dog practically anything. To get started, all you need is a clicker and some delicious doggy treats. As easy as that and you're ready to go!

For those who haven't seen one before, a clicker is a small device that fits easily into your hand and makes a clicking sound when you press down on it. They are inexpensive items that can be purchased at almost any pet supply store. Treats are easy, too. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, as long as it's something your dog likes. Just be sure to cut the treats into very small pieces. Keep in mind the number of treats you'll be giving your dog when you feed him each day. To avoid putting excess weight on your pet, you may want to cut back a bit at meal times if he'll be getting a lot treats during the day. If you're unsure about how much your dog needs to eat, check with your veterinarian.

Now that you have your clicker and some treats in hand, you are ready to go! The idea behind the clicker is that the clicking sound marks a desirable behavior. For instance, if you ask your dog to sit, you will click as soon as his rear end hits the floor. As soon as possible after the click, you will give your dog a treat. Always pair a click with a treat. This will create a connection for your dog between the sound of the click and the treat. In other words, the sound of the click is a reliable predictor that a treat is about to be delivered.

Why use a clicker? You don't have to use a clicker. Some people choose a word, such as "yes" or "good". Paired with a treat, these words can be just as effective as the clicker. Many people prefer the clicker because it's a unique sound that is always the same. The problem with using words is that you may sometimes deliver the word in a different tone of voice which can make things confusing for your dog. You may also use the word in conversation. Your dog will be sitting there waiting for a treat, and you may not even realize you've said it. If this happens often enough, the treat and the word will lose their connection in your dog's mind.

Why use a treat? Some people argue that their dog should not require a treat to work for them. The dog should want to work for them. It's an understandable position, but if you consider it from the dog's point of view, you may see things a bit differently. Imagine you are good friends with your boss. You hang out on weekends, you might throw a ball around, and you generally have a good time when you're with this guy. Now imagine that your boss asks you to continue coming into work every day, but you're no longer going to get paid. Hmm…sheds a bit of a different light on things, doesn't it? Whether your dog is willing to do obedience for you or not has no bearing on your relationship. The treat is simply a motivator that keeps your dog working, the same way your paycheck is a motivator to get you up and headed to work every morning.

The first thing you need to do when you begin clicker training is help your pet understand the meaning of the clicker. Start with something simple. Call your dog's name. When he turns to look at you, click and treat. Repeat this several times. It won't take long for your dog to catch on.

Once your dog understands that a click means a treat is coming, there is no end to the things you can teach him. The great thing about using a clicker is that if your dog is not quite getting how to do something you can teach him things in stages. For example, if you're teaching your dog to lie down, he may only get part of the way down before he pops back up. Without the clicker you both might have given up in frustration. With the clicker, your dog can learn to go down in stages. Click when your dog goes a little ways down. Once he gets that, click only on the times when he goes down a little bit more. In no time, your dog will be lying happily by your side, waiting for his treat.

Another great thing about using a clicker is that you can train your dog without ever leaving the couch. You can do this by capturing a behavior. Once your dog has become accustomed to the clicker, you can click whenever he offers a behavior you like. How much easier can it get? Let's take the earlier example of teaching your dog to lie down. Rather than teaching him to do it in small increments, you can simply wait until your dog does it on his own. He goes down, you click and toss him a treat. You'll have a well behaved dog without missing a minute of your favorite television show.

Once you and your furry friend have gotten the hang of it, there is no end to the things your dog can learn using clicker training. It's easy, fun and it's something that everyone in the family can do!