What Is Clicker Training For Dogs? Explained By A Trainer
Dog training has multiple ways to train, but one of the most effective is clicker training.
Bringing a dog into your life means signing up for lots of cuddles, loads of love, and a touch of chaos. And amid all that fun and wagging tails, you’ve got an important job to do – teach your four-legged friend some manners!
Now, you might have heard about a ton of dog training techniques, and let’s face it, when we as new dog owners, it can be daunting. One of those ways is clicker training. Similar to marker training, dog clicker training takes advantage of classical conditioning (that one’s the experiment Pavlov did with the dog and the bell) to pair the sound of the clicker with a tasty treat. And it’s something dog trainers (namely Karen Pryor and Gary Wilkes) introduced in 1992 – but it became more popular across the 2000’s as we slowly started to leave dominance theory behind.
In this guide, I want to give you an overview meets step-by-step guide you understand what clicker training is all about, why it’s ace at improving your dog’s behavior, and how to get started with it. We promise to keep it easy-peasy and fun so that you and your pup can enjoy this amazing journey with minimal hiccups. Ready? Then, let’s click our way into the exciting world of dog training using only positive reinforcement method!
clicker training can be really enjoyable for both you and your dog.
What Is A Clicker?
A clicker is a small plastic device that fits in the palm of your hand that we use to reward a desired action. It’s avail There’s a button that we press to get the clicker noise, and we use it with positive training methods to shape a new skill!
In a slightly more technical way; a clicker is an example of a secondary reinforcer! Where we associate the meaning of the click with the a high-value treat (aka a primary reinforcer) with desirable behavior!
What is Clicker Training?
Clicker training? What on earth is that? If you’ve found yourself asking this question, no sweat – I’ve got you covered!
Clicker training is a super fun and sub-section or form positive reinforcement training method for our furry pals. At its core, it’s all about marking and rewarding good behavior. The ‘clicker’ part of clicker training is a tiny little gadget that makes a distinct ‘click’ sound. No rocket science here – you press it, it clicks!
