Clicker training is one of the best tools for training your dog. Animal training is all about effective communication. Your dog will learn more quickly if you give precise, consistent and accurate communication.This is where dog clicker training comes into its own.
Clickers are used to communicate with your dog, quickly and precisely, indicating that they did exactly what you wanted and at the exact moment they did it. It signals to the animal that they are about to be rewarded for what they did.
Clickers come in many shapes and sizes. A clicker is an inexpensive toy and very easy to use. The clicker makes a sound like a cricket and look like small plastic matchboxes.
How Does Clicker Training Work
The Canis Clickertraining Academy explains how it works really well in their program. To have the dog associate the clicker with your training; you need to connect the clicking sound with a reward. To give value to the clicker, you simply click and give your dog a piece of valued food like chicken, cheese, liver treats and so on.
There are a couple of ‘primary reinforcements’ and food is the one dogs respond to readily. Other primary reinforcements include physical affection, play time and water. When you have repeatedly clicked and offered your dog a reward, it has learnt to respond to the click and now associates food and the clicker.
This process is called classical conditioning and the clicker now becomes known as a “secondary reinforcement”. In the dog’s mind, the click has actually taken on some of the quality of the primary reinforcement, in this case - the food.
Training can begin with the clicker being used, once your dog is responding immediately to the click sound. This is called operant conditioning.
Using a clicker is essentially the same as saying ‘good dog’ whenever your dog does something you want it to. An example is to click the moment your dog sits and your dog will learn that when he sits he gets the click and a reward.
When your dog repeats this behavior, say the word ’sit’ and click when it does, reinforcing to your dog it gets a treat when it does what you want. The click, good behavior and a reward, becomes your dog’s understanding of your needs.
For some reason people remember to click and do not always remember to verbally praise. Throughout the day, you may say ‘good dog’ several times and the sound of these words often have less value to your dog than the click and a reward.
Clicker training is well worth trying, and you will find a clicker training review will most certainly give it a good rating. When your dog is more advanced and responding well to the clicker, you can reduce the times you give a reward and offer praise instead.
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