Clicker training is sometimes referred to as a "fad" by compulsion-based trainers. In fact it is based on a scientific learning theory--the same theory Pavlov used with his dogs in the 1890s.
The dog does what you want, you click the clicker, the dog gets a treat. The clicker is the only tool you need, and if you don't want to use treats you can use a favorite toy or game instead.
Not only does clicker training let your dog think, it encourages him to do so. Once your dog understands the clicker concept, he will work to find the behavior that makes you click.
An oft-repeated tenet is that a trainer should have more than one tool in their toolbox. Because clicker training is based on a learning theory, there are an unlimited number of ways to teach a behavior.
With some training, you have to physically correct the dog when it makes a mistake. For people with disabilities, or small people with big dogs, this is not always possible. Clicker training does not rely on the trainer's physical strength or mobility to be effective.
Once you and your dog get the hang of clicker training, you'll be thrilled at how much fun you'll have with it. Training will become an event rather than a chore, and your dog will learn more quickly with each new behavior.
Despite the common misconception, clicker training is not a "free for all" for your dog. There are consequences for not performing a learned behavior; they just don't involve physically correcting the dog.
I often use a clicker as a marker, but I confess the one dog I trained entirely by clicker drove me NUTS. Each time I'd start to teach her something new, she'd go through her whole repertoire,lol.
My daughter likes clicker training so much. Good list.Thank you.
Clicker training is so much fun. I love to see what behaviors my dogs will offer me during a training session.
select one here...