5 Easy Ways to get started with clicker training your dog
Kenneth Elliott
August 01, 2008
For decades, dog training consisted of yanking the dog around by a choke chain to "make him mind" and to "show him who's boss." Now, thanks to many years of successfully applying the principles of operant conditioning to marine mammal training, there is an alternative: clicker training. Using only positive reinforcement, such as treats, and a "clicker" to mark the desired behavior, pet owners everywhere are discovering how to train their dogs (and cats and horses, too!) while building a better relationship with them.
The theory is simple: by associating a behavior marker with a reward, the dog learns that good things happen after the marker (the click from the clicker, or simply "YES!"; it's good to teach both for when you don't have a clicker handy). With a little practice, you'll be able to click at the precise time the desired behavior is offered, and the dog will repeat the rewarded behavior.
Example: you click and treat (c/t) when the dog's rear touches the floor to teach "sit."
Starting out
1.) This may seem obvious, but we'll mention it anyway: in order for your training efforts to be effective you must first identify what your dog finds rewarding. For most dogs, that will be food; for a few others, it might be a game of fetch, access to a favorite toy (make it extra special by letting him play with it ONLY during training), or a belly rub.
Food rewards should be "high value" such as small bits of cooked chicken, pieces of hot dog, cheese, etc. Bring out several and see what makes him cross his eyes and salivate!
2.) "Charging" the clicker
This step is vital to your new way of training; you won't succeed without it. Your dog must learn to associate the click with the forthcoming reward.
Start in a quiet room without any distractions. Have a bowl full of really yummy treats, cut up small enough to require no chewing. Click and immediately give a treat from the bowl. Be sure to reach for the treat after you click, or the dog might associate the movement with the treat. Repeat five or six times, then take a brief break. Next, c/t while moving around the room. Take another brief break after 5-10 repetitions. Let the dog walk around the room a bit, then click. If he immediately turns to you to look for his treat, congratulations! He's starting to "get" it! Repeat a couple more times and take a break.
Later on in the day, vary the location of where you c/t. When he looks at you every time you click, you're ready to start the real training.
Keep all training sessions short, especially with puppies. Short and frequent is better than long and few. If the dog loses interest, quit the session, and try a more yummy treat the next time. C/t only one behavior per session.
The following three methods can be used concurrently to achieve different behaviors.
3.) Luring
This is probably the easiest for the basic behaviors like sit and down. To teach a sit, hold a yummy treat in front of the dog's nose, and slowly raise your hand up and over his head. His eyes and nose will want to follow the treat, meaning he'll have to lower his rump. Click as soon as he sits and give him the treat. Repeat about five times, then show him the treat without raising your hand. If he sits, jackpot!! That means giving him a whole bunch of treats at once for doing really well!
4.) Shaping
To shape a behavior you first have to break it down into a series of movements toward your goal. Let's say you want to shape a left turn. Start to c/t when he looks to the left, then when he takes a step, two steps, and so forth. It takes some time and effort (and forethought), but once the dog gets it, the behavior becomes solid very quickly.
5.) Capturing
This may be the hardest and requires your vigilance and preparedness. Does your dog have a cute pose? Wait till he does it, then immediately c/t. If you've used clicker training for a while, he'll be wondering what earned him the click and start offering behaviors. Be patient! C/t ONLY that cute pose you're trying to capture. If he walks away, just end the session. Be ready next time. He'll get it eventually!
What's next
During initial training, you need to remain quiet so as not to confuse the dog. Only after he knows the behavior do you add a cue (word or hand signal). Say "sit" as soon as the dog starts to lower his rump, then click and treat when he actually sits. Repeat a few times, then say the word before he starts to sit. Be patient. If you initially used luring to teach the sit, he already knows your hand movement as a cue, so you could use that (without a treat in the hand) instead.
Want even more fun? Try target training! The target can be things like your hand, a target stick, or a piece of paper on the floor. Targeting means teaching the dog to touch the object (your target) with the nose or paw. Most dogs will quickly learn to nose the palm of your hand. Catch his interest by rubbing your palm with a bit of chicken or hot dog. Avoid moving your hand toward him. Once he targets your hand reliably, move it right, left, high, low, against an object you want him to touch, etc. The target stick works similarly and can be used to teach loose leash walking, for example.
Clicker training is a lot of fun for you and your dog. Before you know it, you'll be a pro at it and be teaching your dog all sorts of tricks to entertain your friends!
For more information on training your dog visit Dog Training Equipment. Keep your dog confortable during the training process with Dog Beds and Baskets
The theory is simple: by associating a behavior marker with a reward, the dog learns that good things happen after the marker (the click from the clicker, or simply "YES!"; it's good to teach both for when you don't have a clicker handy). With a little practice, you'll be able to click at the precise time the desired behavior is offered, and the dog will repeat the rewarded behavior.
Example: you click and treat (c/t) when the dog's rear touches the floor to teach "sit."
Starting out
1.) This may seem obvious, but we'll mention it anyway: in order for your training efforts to be effective you must first identify what your dog finds rewarding. For most dogs, that will be food; for a few others, it might be a game of fetch, access to a favorite toy (make it extra special by letting him play with it ONLY during training), or a belly rub.
Food rewards should be "high value" such as small bits of cooked chicken, pieces of hot dog, cheese, etc. Bring out several and see what makes him cross his eyes and salivate!
2.) "Charging" the clicker
This step is vital to your new way of training; you won't succeed without it. Your dog must learn to associate the click with the forthcoming reward.
Start in a quiet room without any distractions. Have a bowl full of really yummy treats, cut up small enough to require no chewing. Click and immediately give a treat from the bowl. Be sure to reach for the treat after you click, or the dog might associate the movement with the treat. Repeat five or six times, then take a brief break. Next, c/t while moving around the room. Take another brief break after 5-10 repetitions. Let the dog walk around the room a bit, then click. If he immediately turns to you to look for his treat, congratulations! He's starting to "get" it! Repeat a couple more times and take a break.
Later on in the day, vary the location of where you c/t. When he looks at you every time you click, you're ready to start the real training.
Keep all training sessions short, especially with puppies. Short and frequent is better than long and few. If the dog loses interest, quit the session, and try a more yummy treat the next time. C/t only one behavior per session.
The following three methods can be used concurrently to achieve different behaviors.
3.) Luring
This is probably the easiest for the basic behaviors like sit and down. To teach a sit, hold a yummy treat in front of the dog's nose, and slowly raise your hand up and over his head. His eyes and nose will want to follow the treat, meaning he'll have to lower his rump. Click as soon as he sits and give him the treat. Repeat about five times, then show him the treat without raising your hand. If he sits, jackpot!! That means giving him a whole bunch of treats at once for doing really well!
4.) Shaping
To shape a behavior you first have to break it down into a series of movements toward your goal. Let's say you want to shape a left turn. Start to c/t when he looks to the left, then when he takes a step, two steps, and so forth. It takes some time and effort (and forethought), but once the dog gets it, the behavior becomes solid very quickly.
5.) Capturing
This may be the hardest and requires your vigilance and preparedness. Does your dog have a cute pose? Wait till he does it, then immediately c/t. If you've used clicker training for a while, he'll be wondering what earned him the click and start offering behaviors. Be patient! C/t ONLY that cute pose you're trying to capture. If he walks away, just end the session. Be ready next time. He'll get it eventually!
What's next
During initial training, you need to remain quiet so as not to confuse the dog. Only after he knows the behavior do you add a cue (word or hand signal). Say "sit" as soon as the dog starts to lower his rump, then click and treat when he actually sits. Repeat a few times, then say the word before he starts to sit. Be patient. If you initially used luring to teach the sit, he already knows your hand movement as a cue, so you could use that (without a treat in the hand) instead.
Want even more fun? Try target training! The target can be things like your hand, a target stick, or a piece of paper on the floor. Targeting means teaching the dog to touch the object (your target) with the nose or paw. Most dogs will quickly learn to nose the palm of your hand. Catch his interest by rubbing your palm with a bit of chicken or hot dog. Avoid moving your hand toward him. Once he targets your hand reliably, move it right, left, high, low, against an object you want him to touch, etc. The target stick works similarly and can be used to teach loose leash walking, for example.
Clicker training is a lot of fun for you and your dog. Before you know it, you'll be a pro at it and be teaching your dog all sorts of tricks to entertain your friends!
For more information on training your dog visit Dog Training Equipment. Keep your dog confortable during the training process with Dog Beds and Baskets
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