What exactly is clicker training, anyway?

Clicker training is a method of positive reinforcement training that’s easy to learn and implement with a little practice. It’s fun for humans and dogs, and is used with a wide variety of species around the globe.

A clicker is a small handheld device that makes a (you guessed it) clicking noise when you press its button, kind of like the click of a pen but louder.

In dog training, we use the click to mark the behavior we are looking for. When you follow the click with reinforcement, like a treat, then the click starts to tell your dog, “yes, that was right, and your reward is on its way.”

Clickers allow us to be precise in our training. We can mark the exact behavior we are looking for, exactly as it occurs. It gives us a clear way of telling our dog, “yes! That’s what I want you to do.”

The click is so effective as a way to mark behavior because unlike human voices, it never changes! The click always sounds the same and it always means the same thing.

That doesn’t mean you can’t use a word like “yes” or “good” instead of a clicker to mark a behavior. It’s just easier to be consistent with a clicker -- and the click is not a sound your dog hears all the time.

Dogs (and other animals too!) tend to pick up on clicker training very quickly, and soon become enthusiastic participants in training sessions. You can use clicker training to teach your dog just about anything!

This is just the briefest of introductions to clicker training! For more in-depth info, you can visit clickertraining.com.

And if you’d like to get started on clicker training with your dog, you can contact us here.