Is Clicker Training Right for You and Your Dog?

Clicker training is a modern dog training technique that focuses on acknowledging proper canine etiquette. Owners or trainers use a small clicking device each time a dog exhibits good behavior or obeys a command. The click is usually followed by a treat or reward.

Clicking works to quickly notify a dog of the desired good behavior and then reward that conduct. This promotion of positive reinforcement is used to teach basic dog commands such as sit, heel, down, and stay. Owners can also choose to pursue more intense training for dog show or personal interest.

One major advantage of clicker training is that it promotes a loving pet and owner relationship. Unlike shock collars, clicker training is pain free. This makes it perfect for dog lovers who consider more discipline oriented training methods to be cruel.

Another advantage is that your dog will become eager to please. An eager to please dog will be ready and willing to work with you on training. Your dog will not only enjoy the reward and attention at each training session, but will also enjoy the praise that comes from the clicker.

Training with positive reinforcement allows you to focus on good behavior rather than bad. There are many ways a dog can misbehave, but there are less ways a dog can behave. This means you will be able to foster these preferred behaviors more quickly rather than waiting for bad behavior to occur before you can correct it.

One downside is that giving continual treats to dogs may lead to health problems such as obesity. To avoid this, you may want to consider giving tiny treats such as individual pieces of kibble or small bits of hot dog. You may also want to wean your dog off the treats after a while. Focus instead on rewards such as praise or extra play time at the park.

When you begin clicker training, you must always come prepared with your treats and clicker in order to maintain a steady form of training. This will require your training aids for even the shortest walk in your yard. Being sporadic with early training may undo any progress you make. You must also be on the ready to click as quickly as possible in order to identify the correct behavior before you reward it. Clicking too late may identify an incorrect behavior and confuse your dog.

Dogs who are clicker trained are usually well trained, but there are some mischievous canines that may do as they please when a treat is not being offered. Clicker training does not focus on how to deal with misbehavior, which can leave new pet owners confused. This means you will have to decide how to deal with those bad behavior instances and be certain that your discipline methods will not undo your positive training efforts.

The good news is that clickers are cheap and treats can be as simple as scraps of toast. You can also use various levels of treats to identify more important behaviors such as not jumping on visitors. For simple “sits” or “stays” when you and your dog are alone, you can use a smaller treat.

Opponents of clicker training believe it to be ineffective. These dog owners and trainers prefer more traditional dog training methods that focus on showing the dog who is boss. This school of thought believes that the pack nature of dogs requires a leader and that you are that leader. A leader who only provides positive reinforcement through clicker training may not be taken seriously, and the dog may believe it is in charge.

Clicker training takes a great deal of discipline and consistency, but it allows you to be the good guy in the dog and owner relationship. Not having to continually scald and punish your puppy will make you a happier pet owner, and it will make for more fun training sessions for your dog.