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Frequently Asked Questions
What is clicker training?
Clicker training
is the application of operant conditioning techniques (reinforcing an offered
behavior so that the subject is likely to repeat it) to teach behaviors to
animals. The clicker (a small box that makes a ‘click’ sound) is used to
convey information to the animal about a desired behavior. After the click the
animal is always given something it really desires (usually some type of food
treat) so that the animal knows that when it hears the ‘click’ sound, it
will get the treat. The animal becomes conditioned to respond to the click as it
would to a treat.
In clicker
training, the emphasis is always on the positive — telling the animal what it
is doing right — clicker training is a positive reinforcement method of
training. Clicker training doesn’t require strength or coordination. It
requires patience, timing, and (if you wish to go beyond what you are taught in
classes) creativity. All animals, and especially dogs, enjoy clicker
training. To them, it is a game — “let’s see what I can do to get
my human to click” — a game that lets the animal win. This type of training
requires thinking on the part of the animal, and the animal responds by trying
to figure out what it is supposed to do. There is no harshness to the animal in
clicker training. By clicking a behavior that the animal does naturally or is
lured into doing, and then giving a treat, the animal is reinforced for this
behavior. Animals (including humans) usually repeat behaviors for which
they are reinforced. Thus, once a behavior is clicked and treated several times,
the animal will offer the behavior again. By shaping the behavior (that is
asking for a slightly better or different version of the behavior) in very small
steps, the trainer keeps the animal ‘winning’ the game and teaches the
animal desirable behaviors.
Undesirable
behaviors are ignored or replaced with desirable behaviors. Because of the
positive aspects of clicker training, it builds a great relationship between the
trainer and the animal being trained. Most clicker-trained dogs will get very
excited when they see their trainer with a clicker — fun time is about to
begin. Once a behavior is learned, a command word or signal is associated
with the behavior and the clicker is slowly dropped so that the animal will
perform the behavior on cue (hearing the command word, seeing the signal). The
clicker is a training tool, and is not needed once the training is complete.
However, positive reinforcement (a praise word, a pat) should be used whenever
the dog performs a requested behavior.
Why is clicker training effective?
Clicking a behavior that the animal does
naturally or is lured into doing, and then giving a treat, the animal is
reinforced for this behavior. Animals (including humans) usually repeat
behaviors for which they are reinforced. Thus, once a behavior is clicked and
treated several times, the animal will offer the behavior again. By shaping the
behavior (that is asking for a slightly better or different version of the
behavior) in very small steps, the trainer keeps the animal ‘winning’ the
game and teaches the animal desirable behaviors. Undesirable behaviors are
ignored or replaced with desirable behaviors. Because of the positive
aspects of clicker training, it builds a great relationship between the trainer
and the animal being trained. Most clicker-trained dogs will get very excited
when they see their trainer with a clicker — fun time is about to begin.
Once a behavior is learned, a command word or signal is associated with the
behavior and the clicker is slowly dropped so that the animal will perform the
behavior on cue (hearing the command word, seeing the signal). The clicker is a
training tool, and is not needed once the training is complete. However,
positive reinforcement (a praise word, a pat) should be used whenever the dog
performs a requested behavior.
Why is clicker training better than just using my voice, positive
attention, praise, food, or other training methods?
- Lots of important reasons. The click pinpoints the behavior exactly so
your dog will learn desirable behavior amazingly quickly—often from one,
two, or three clicks. The clicker provides a consistent, non-emotional
marker so your dog always receives the same information. The clicker is
also distinct from other signals in the environment.
The information the click provides is retained. Behavior is remembered
from one training
session to the next, so training sessions can be short and
flexibly designed. Also, unlike word cues, clicker training does not
convey emotionally loaded approval or disapproval to the animal—it is
simply information the dog can use to earn a reward or try again.
And because clicker training doesn’t rely on punishment,
force, aversive
methods, sprays, or choke collars to get results, it is the only method of
training we know of that is safely and effectively used with puppies even
weeks old. As a result:
- Basic obedience, good manners and fun games can be easily self taught
even in busy family households, where time is short and schedules hectic.
- Training can be woven into daily activities including walking to school,
making dinner, or even watching TV
- Everyone in the family—children and adults—can participate and share
in the fun both with puppies and adult dogs
Is a lot of experience required to clicker train successfully?
- Absolutely not. (Sometimes it even gets in the way.) Clicker training is
easy to learn with the right instructions from an experienced clicker trainer. A part of clicker
training that may take some practice is timing
the clicks to capture the exact behavior you are seeking. But don’t
worry, clicker training is so forgiving and so much fun for everyone that
you don’t have to worry about mistakes. They won’t interfere with
training in the long run.
Can a dog that has been trained “ traditionally” be “crossed over”
to clicker training?
- Absolutely. Crossover trainers are often amazed at the change that comes
over their dogs when they switch to clicker training. Previously hesitant
and shy dogs become enthusiastic and creative learners. To try clicker
training with a dog previously trained with traditional methods, don’t
begin with a behavior the dog already knows—try something completely new
and fun.
Can I clicker train the dog I rescued from a humane organization?
- Yes! Most dogs are surrendered to shelters for behavioral issues.
Clicker training is a fast, humane, and enriching way of integrating your
pet into a new home and fixing or avoiding behavioral problems.
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