What is clicker training?

Clicker training is a form of “operant conditioning.” It relies on positive reinforcement, and the dog associating a certain sound with a reward for performing an action. It does away with the negative techniques we associate with conventional training, i.e., choke chains, dragging reluctant dogs (or being reluctantly dragged around by dogs!), putting them into different positions such as “sit” or “down” and hoping that they start to understand the commands. Operant conditioning is used successfully with dolphins and killer whales, mammals you simply cannot train by traditional methods.

Do I need any special equipment to clicker train?

Sometimes, people clicker train by snapping their fingers, or making a verbal clicking noise. But it is probably best to use a “clicker,” a small box with a metal strip on the top, available from most pet shops or on the internet. If you press and release the metal bar, it makes a clicking noise. It is a unique sound for the dog, in amongst human chatter that may be going on, and the sound can be made instantaneously, which is imperative in this sort of training. By the time you have rewarded a dog verbally by saying something like “Good puppy,” the desired action has probably morphed into something else completely. With a clicker, the action is caught the moment it happens.

What is the first step in clicker training?

Your young pup will no doubt be carrying out lots of natural actions – lying down, sitting up, turning round, sniffing objects – opportunities for training are endless. Firstly though, ensure that your youngster associates the “click” sound with a tasty treat. Once your pet starts looking for the treat when the click is heard, you can start using the clicker as a training aid. Some trainers call this “powering up the clicker.”