How to Teach Dogs Commands by Clicker Training

Clicker training is an effective and fun way to teach your dog commands. A clicker paired with dog treats and proper timing will help you communicate clearly with your dog during training sessions. The better your dog understands what you are asking, the more easily and quickly it will learn new commands. Faster learning is more fun for both you and your pooch, making training sessions a positive bonding experience.

Things You'll Need

  • Clicker
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Squeeze the clicker and give a treat to your dog as soon as it hears the sound. Your dog does not need to do anything at this point. Just click and then give a treat. This is referred to as "charging the clicker," and teaches your dog that the sound of the clicker equals tasty treats. This step should be repeated as many times as possible over a few days or even a week to deeply ingrain in your dog's brain the positive emotional reaction to the click. Your dog should look at you expectantly after hearing the click.

    • 2

      Hold a treat in your hand, making sure your dog sees it. Hold your hand near the dog's face and slowly move your hand over its head so that your dog has to put its rear on the ground to follow the treat with its nose. As soon as this occurs, immediately squeeze the clicker, say "sit" as your dog does so, and simultaneously give the dog a treat. You are using the clicker to "mark" specific actions or behaviors as "good." Your dog sits, hears the click, has the positive emotional response to the sound of the click, and begins to learn that if it hears the click, it has done what you want.

    • 3

      Repeat this exercise until your dog is sitting every time you ask. Continue to click and give a treat each time. As you practice, slowly start to skip the treat every 10 to 15 clicks. This will begin to wean your dog away from needing a treat to validate the behavior with every click. Over a few weeks, continue to decrease the frequency of the treats. Your dog will still have the emotional response to the click due to the previous practice with treats.

    • 4

      Use the clicker to mark behaviors that you want from your dog. Again, use gestures and treats to lead the dog in performing the desired behavior, then say the name of the task right afterwards. This teaches your dog to try to figure out what you are asking it to do. You can teach all of the basics, including stay, down and shake, by using this method and reinforcing it with occasional treats.