28/10/2023
Clicker training is a great way to make communication easier between you and your dog—young, old, brand new, or any dog in-between. It’s been popular among dog owners and trainers because it allows us to quickly develop a shared language of understanding with our dogs. Here are the basics:
What Is A Clicker?
Clickers are a small plastic box or device that, when pressed, make a clear clicking noise. The clicker itself isn’t a remote control or a magic button. Rather, clickers are effective because they become a conditioned reinforcer, meaning that our dogs quickly learn that whenever they hear the sound of the clicker, they’ll get a reward (treat). Clicker training is especially effective because it allows us to clearly communicate to our dogs that they’ve performed a specific behavior or movement we like.
Why Clickers Work
Some people mistakenly think that the sound of the clicker is the reward, but for dogs the clicker is simply a clear signal that the reward is coming. When dogs are rewarded for doing something you want, they’re far more likely to repeat that behavior again (the primarily reason positive reinforcement training is so effective).
Alternately, you can use a marker word like “good” or “yes” when your dog does what you want to let them know a treat is coming. The sound of a clicker, however, often makes more sense to dogs because it’s a clear and consistent sound.