How to Introduce Clicker Training

Clicker training is a great way to train your dog to do anything from basic obedience to service dog skills. The first thing you will need to do is teach your dog that the clicker sound ALWAYS means "yes".

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clicker
• pea size treats or dog kibble,
• a quiet place
• a dog
• five minutes of time

1. Select your training location. Get out your clicker and hold it in your hand. Have your treats in a easy-to-reach place where you can get them and your dog cannot steal them. You may wish to purchase a bait bag that will allow you to wear your treats on your hip.

2. Bring your dog into the training area. Without saying anything to your dog, click your clicker and give him a treat. Wait five seconds and repeat the process. Wait five seconds, click and toss the treat on the ground. This causes the dog to move away from you and sets you up for another repetition. Repeat this step 25 times. Stop and put away the clicker and treats.

3. Repeat the above step in a different area and out on walks. In a day or two, your dog will recognize that the click means "yes" everywhere she goes. After you have done the click treat exercise a couple of times, you can test your dog's recognition of the sound by clicking her when she is busy doing something else. If your dog stops and looks at you, praise and give her a treat right away. If not, do the exercise a few more times.

Tips & Warnings

• If your dog is afraid of the clicker you may use the word "yes"
• Clickers and treats are a training tool and once your dog learns a behavior, you will be able to get rid of the clicker and the treats
• ALWAYS treat if you click. If your dog hears the click and no treat follows, you will dilute the magic of clicker training.
• Have fun!
• Do not use your clicker to get your dog to come to you, this will change the meaning of the clicker and will render it useless in other training.

Resources

• Karen Pryor's Clicker Training Site

[DINJYSsweetFACE]

on 3/23/2008 Great article. I have an almost 2 year old "puppy" and want to beging training her to stay. She knows how to sit on command, but staying has been the problem. I have seen dogs before that have been trained by a clicker and always thought that it would take forever to get my dog to get it. This article helped me realize that it doesn't have to impossible.