Clicker training. I’m sure you have heard the word before if you have been researching anything on dog training but exactly what it is might be still a bit unclear. The short story of clicker training is it captures the dog’s behavior that you want repeated and marks it with a click. Then the click is followed by a reward to reinforce the desired behavior. That’s really the short version but pretty much captures the definition. The following are some dog training tips that you can use with your pet while using a clicker.
Exude Confidence. Dogs are very in tune with your moods. They know when you are “iffy” or not confident about the task or behavior you are asking them to perform. If they pick up on this, the training will be difficult if not impossible regardless of what method you use. Dogs need to know that you are in charge so be sure to show them that you are confident and in control.
Be Timely. As soon as the behavior happens you need to capture it so your dog knows exactly which behavior you are capturing. Clicker training is very effective with this as when the moment happens you are able to click, thus conveying to your dog that you like that particular behavior.
Comprehending and Information. When using the clicker method, the trainer needs to be sure to do two things before beginning training. Know what information you want your dog to understand so they can do what you want and what motivation will help to facilitate that behavior. With the lack of good motivation, the dog will have a difficult time comprehending and performing the desired behavior.
Using verbal praise. Clicker training if very suited to capturing behaviors. Nothing replaces verbal praising and human touch when rewarding a dog for a desired behavior. But it is more difficult to capture behavior accurately when you have to take the time needed to touch or praise the animal. It is much timelier to click whenever you need to convey a message to your dog. Timeliness is critical in training your dog especially if he has never been trained before.
Signalling. As stated before, trainers need to convey the signal to the dog immediately. As soon as the action is performed, the signal needs to be conveyed. If the signal is conveyed too late, there will be confusion on the animal’s part as to which behavior you rewarded. Remember that dogs are very easily distracted so the signal must be timely and it must be noticeable. There a lot of distractions in a dog’s world because they so inquisitive. Using a clicker to “click” when a desired behavior is performed will bring the dog into focus and he will be able to hear it above all of the other distractions in his/her world.
These are just some of the tips utilized but there are many more dog training tips when using a clicker. The main thing to remember is that clicker training emphasizes operant conditioning which is capturing a desired behavior and then rewarding that behavior. It is not difficult, in fact it almost seems too easy to be effective but it is very effective. Do not be frightened at the prospect of training your dog at home. With a little patience and time, any dog loving owner can have teach their animal desired behaviors.
Want to find more great Dog Training Tips, then be sure to visit Ashley Spencer’s site on Clicker Training for everything you need to know to train your dog at home.