Why Canine Clicker Training is Often Misunderstood

All creatures great and small have two simple needs in life: to seek pleasure and to avoid pain. Every single behavior and decision you make is based on these two very simple principles.

Why do you brush your teeth? To avoid a cavity at the dentist. Why do you go to work? To collect a paycheck so you can keep a full belly and a roof over your head.
Dogs are no different than the rest of us.

Traditional training methods of dogs often include the use of force. This includes handling the dog to position him into certain postures or “correcting” the dog when he makes a mistake.

If you train dogs for any length of time it’s obvious to see that some dogs tolerate this level of force rather well while others don’t. These “yank and thank” training methods often result in dogs that are dazed and confused at best. At worst, some dogs become fearful, defensive, and violent.

No one dismisses the effectiveness of traditional training methods. Of course it works. But, we've also seen what violent husbands can do--both physically and mentally. Do their wives "obey"? Of course. So just because something works, doesn't mean it's good.

Some owners brag and say, “Oh see how much my dog wants to please me. He doesn’t need to work for treats. My happiness is all the reward he needs.”

Sure, dogs like having a happy owner. But is the dog really working to please the owner—or simply to avoid the punishment?

Do you go to work everyday because you like making your boss happy? What if one day you received an email that stated you’d no longer be receiving a paycheck? Would you still go?

There are many people who don’t “believe” in canine clicker training. Clicker training is just a basic term used to describe a training system based on positive reinforcement. Clicker training relies on reinforcers, which can be anything the dog likes. The reinforcer is presented with correct timing in such a way that specific information can be communicated between the trainer and the dog.

With clicker training, you can literally train your dog without touching or speaking to him. Clicker training can result in behaviors that are just as reliable if not more consistent than the results gained from traditional training methods.

Still, it doesn't surprise me that many people, including traditional dog trainers, dismiss the effectiveness of canine clicker training. In fact, 9 out of 10 “professional” clicker trainers are using the techniques incorrectly. Despite their good intentions, these clicker trainers certainly aren’t doing the dog any favors.

Canine clicker training is a lot like driving a racecar. There’s great potential for power, but you have to know how to drive it! In other words, the odds of success all depend on the skill of the driver.

To learn clicker training from the experts, visit http://www.clickertrainingsecrets.com

Clicker Training Puppies Teaches Good Behavior That Lasts a Lifetime

Did you know that many dog trainers don't use a food bowl for their dogs? They make their dogs earn each and every piece of kibble they eat. This might sound a bit extreme to you, but this is exactly how dogs live in nature. If they don't learn how to work for food--they die!

For this reason, food is commonly used a reinforcer for clicker training dogs. Dogs and puppies are very motivated to work for food. However, many dog owners don't understand the basics of clicker training because they’re under the false impression that only food and treats can be used as reinforcers.

When clicker training your puppy you want to use a reinforcer that is presented with correct timing to the dog. This can be anything the puppy likes, such as toys, play time, a pat on the head, etc.

During the initial learning phase it’s usually best to use food and treats to reinforce the desired behavior. This is because toys, play time and petting can often slow down the training process.

However, once your puppy starts to “get it” these other things can certainly be used as reinforcers while clicker training your puppy. In fact, varying the types of reinforcers you offer is recommended to keep things interesting and unpredictable.

Some owners find it difficult to train with treats because the puppy is “finicky” when it comes to food. This usually occurs for two reasons:

1. The puppy has recently eaten a meal and isn’t hungry.
2. The owner is not using treats that are unique to training and/or better than the puppies normal dinner.

An easy solution is not to feed your puppy any food or treats 4-6 hours before training time (you can go longer if the puppy is older than a few months old or so) and to only use highly palatable treats that the puppy only gets during training time.

Remember that the clicker and treats are only used for learning a new behavior or for performing the learned behavior in a new or more challenging environment. Once the behavior is learned you don’t need to reinforce with treats on a regular basis (although your puppy certainly won’t mind if you did!).

It’s usually a good idea NOT to use store-bought puppy treats during clicker training. This is because most commercial products take too long to chew--and that’s going to mess up your timing. Plus--puppies have a short attention span. In the middle of chewing he might decide that chasing his tail seems like more fun!

Clicker training your puppy can be a very rewarding experience and will teach your puppy good behavior that will last a lifetime.

Is Clicker Training Puppies Appropriate?

Good news! You can start clicker training puppies the minute they come home from the shelter or breeder. In fact, the sooner you start clicker training your puppy, the better.

Unlike conventional dog training methods that use a choke collar and leash, there's nothing harmful or potentially frightening about clicker training. You definitely don't have to wait until your puppy reaches a specific age to begin.

Puppies are also little food-seeking machines and will be VERY eager to learn what makes you CLICK! In fact, puppies often learn much faster than older dogs. The great thing about clicker training is that it doesn't matter how old your dog is or what kind of breed or temperament. Clicker training can be used in any and all circumstances.

There are four general starting exercises for you and your puppy to work on. These include:
1. Sit and Down
2. Come When Called
3. Walk on a Loose Leash
4. 101 Things to Do With A Box

Some puppies learn one behavior more easily than another. Just take it at your own pace. A great resource for learning how to clicker train your puppy is ClickerTrainingSecrets.com.

This is the book that I recommend to all clients at the veterinary hospital where I work because I found it very helpful for training our Jack Russell Terrier, Penny.

Clicker Training Your Dog isn't Just About Treats

Clicker training your dog can have enormous benefits including a well-behaved dog and a stronger relationship between you and your pet. Clickers can also be an instrumental tool in correcting many dog behavior problems. Punishing the dog for doing something bad really doesn't teach him a whole lot. Successful trainers have learned that dogs, dolphins, fish (and humans) learn better when you reward them for good behavior.

Of course, the key to clicker training is teaching the dog exactly what good behavior IS!

A lot of people get confused about clicker training because they think the dog is working for treats. The dog isn't working for treats. The dog is working for the CLICK! The sound of the clicker is what motivates the dog.

Once the dog learns that the clicker means "treats are coming" you can use the clicker to mark a behavior you like, and then gradually shape or develop something more complex, like a response to a cue.

The clicker is not a command. It doesn't tell the dog to do something. That's what cues and hand signals are for. The clicker simply tells the dog that you like that behavior and that he deserves a treat (or a toy, chance to play, etc.).

The clicker has become what's known in psychological terms as a "conditioned reinforcer." That is, something the dog has learned to want. This is because the clicker has been associated with the dog's "unconditioned reinforcers" which are things the animal "naturally" wants without training, such as food, companionship, squirrels, etc.

Canine clicker training has become very popular during the past few years but unfortunately not all dog trainers understand the science correctly. In fact, thanks to ClickerTrainingSecrets.com I now know more about clicker training than 9 out of 10 "professional" trainers!

For more information visit http://www.clickertrainingsecrets.com

Clicker Puppy Training--What Kind of Treats are Best?

All puppies eat food. Otherwise they would starve to death! Treats are an essential item during the early stages of clicker puppy training because they allow you to easily work through many repetitions in a short period of time.

Remember that treats are only used during the early stages of training. Once the behavior is learned, treats are no longer needed for reinforcement. However, if you want to teach the behavior in a new or challenging environment, treats are necessary.

Some pet owners get confused about the types of treats used during clicker puppy training. It's best not to use commercial or store-bought treats. This is because most treats are too large and take too long for the puppy to chew. Yes--even the ones labeled for training purposes are too large!

It's also beneficial to use "human food" during clicker training because this is something the puppy doesn't get at any other time. At least he shouldn't! This makes the reinforcer (the treat) even more rewarding to the puppy. If you use the same old treats, kibble or biscuits that the puppy is used to, he'll probably be less interested in what you're trying to teach him.

You want to use VERY small pieces of food. Pea-size pieces work best. Your puppy shouldn't really have to chew the treat at all. You'll also want to increase the value of the treat based on the environment. If you're working at home with minimal distractions you can use an "average" treat. When working out at the dog park, at a friends house, or anywhere else the puppy isn't used to, you'll want to make sure you use the tastiest treat possible!

Remember that all these treats add calories to your puppies daily intake of food. You'll need to decrease his daily ration of kibble accordingly to avoid excessive weight gain.

For more information on clicker training your puppy including a list of the best human foods to use for training, visit: http://www.squidoo.com/clickertrainingyourpuppy