Information on Clicker Training for Dogs

History

• Clicker training has been utilized for decades. It was initially used by dolphin trainers. Since dolphins cannot be physically placed into position nor physically corrected for mistakes, they must taught via purely positive methods. The "clicker" actually began as a whistle blast and has since morphed into the small, hand-held, high-pitched object we now know and use.

Theory

• The theory of clicker training is quite simple. Mark the exact behavior you like with a click and then follow the click with a treat. Ignore behaviors you don't like. Extremely complex behaviors can be taught by teaching each piece of the behavior bit by bit and then stringing them together.

Terminology

• Clicker training comes with a vocabulary of its own. Some of the more common terms are "cue," "backchaining," "event marker," "luring," "jackpot" and "proofing." A cue is a signal or word to entice the dog to preform a certain behavior after he is trained. A lure--which may be a food, toy or a target stick--helps teach the dog the expected behavior. The click itself is the event marker. It marks the exact behavior that the trainer wants repeated. Backchaining involves linking several behaviors together, starting with the very last one and working forward. For example, in order to teach a dog to take an object, you would first reward him for spitting it out, then holding it for a bit and spitting it out, then picking it up and spitting it out, and finally picking it up, holding it and releasing it on command. A jackpot is a large amount of treats used to reward a particularly complex behavior. Proofing a dog means teaching it to work no matter the distractions or environment.

Uses

• Clicker training can be used for anything from house training or obedience training to something as complex as tracking or search and rescue. Any behavior that can be distinctly marked can be taught with a clicker.

Advancing

• Marking and treating the behavior is the first step of clicker training. From there, you must add a cue word or signal so that the dog can begin to respond on command. Once the dog responds reliably, wean him from the clicker and the treat. Treat every third response, then every fifth. Click every other one and offer praise instead. Make your click and treat rewards sporadic to keep your dog guessing. Proof him against distraction by moving back to clicking and treating every response in a variety of environments and with a variety of distractions. Work slowly and make sure he understands what's being requested before weaning him off the clicker in the new environment.