Dog Training With A Clicker
When you are beginning to work with your pet, you should definitely consider dog training with a clicker. Clicker training has been shown to be very effective in training a dog quickly and easily, and without the levels of frustration that may be generated by other methods. This is a training method that emphasizes positive reinforcement rather than punishment.
The clicker used in the training produces a different and distinctive sound that will draw your dog’s attention, making it easy for the dog to focus on what you want.
The theory behind dog training with a clicker is that your pet will associate the sound of the clicker with getting a treat. To begin the training you will first have to teach your dog that a click means a treat. In order to do this, have a handful of treats ready as well as your clicker. Get your dog’s attention with a click and immediately give him a treat.
Do not attempt to do any kind of training at this point; you simply want your dog to associate the click with instantly getting a treat. Once the dog has become familiar with this, you can go on to actual clicker training.
Clicker training should be kept simple to begin with. Start with a simple command such as “Come”. You might want to use a long leash with this command. Once the dog approaches you, give a click and a treat. It will not be long before your dog will readily come to you as soon as you say come. You will find that dog training with a clicker will make teaching your dog other commands just as simple.
Many trainers recommend that you teach your dog “Down” before “Stay”. Using your clicker to teach the dog to lie down is fairly simple. Use your hand to draw the dog’s head to the floor, while using the command “Down”. As soon as the dog is lying down, click and immediately give your dog a treat.
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Do not expect your dog to understand exactly what you want until you have repeated this exercise over and over. Most dogs will take dozens of tries before the response is automatic, but remain patient and remember that the training will be permanent once the command is learned. Dogs are intelligent animals, but they simply learn at a different rate than do humans.
Dog training with a clicker will allow you to teach your dog numerous commands, and will produce not only an obedient pet, but a better companion. Being able to take your well-behaved dog more places will make outings more enjoyable for both of you. Clicker training can go beyond basic commands, and is often used in complex commands involving several steps to completion.
Because clicker training is so effective and the results so positive and lasting, it is often used for dogs that will be used as service or rescue dogs. This can be especially important with people who are disabled or need to be rescued – you need a dog that can be depended on, and this is just what dog training with a clicker does.
Some questions have been raised about whether clicker training, dependent as it is on treats as well as clicks, will result in fat dogs. The secret here is to make the treats very small.
For a larger dog, such as a lab or retriever, the treat should be no bigger than a garden pea, and if you are training a smaller dog, the size of the treat should be correspondingly smaller. You can also use the kibble your dog would ordinarily get during the day as the treat.
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