YES!!!! This is an excellent way to train and shape behaviors. I started clicker training last year for the first time and I LOVE it!!! It is amazing when your dog starts thinking about what he is doing. You can almost see the wheels turning in their brains as they figure out how to make you click again.
Some starting points follow:
1. Always do training sessions in sets of 10 and pause between training session sets for at least 15 minutes before attempting the same behavior training session again. Only work on 1 behavior during a training session set (10 attempts).
2. Take out 10 small (cheerio-sized) smelly chewy treats. Cut up hotdogs work great.
3. Place a buckle collar or halti head collar on your dog and a 6 foot leash.
4. Click your clicker pause for about a second and then treat your dog. Click – Pause – Treat.
5. Repeat 10 times then take a break (Play a quick game of fetch, etc. This break doesn’t need to be too long). You are training your dog that the click means a treat is coming, and that training sessions can be fun as well.
6. After the break, get out 10 more treats, and repeat the click-pause-treat. By now when your dog hears a click, he should be eagerly anticipating the treat. After 10 take another break.
7. TARGET TRAINING- “TOUCH” command. Get out a round clear plastic container top. I use the top of a Pringles Potato Chip can, but so long as it is no bigger then 3-4 inches in diameter and is clear it really doesn’t matter what you use. (Clear targets are easier to phase out later then solid colored targets which are more visable).
8. Hold the target about 4-6 inches in front of your dogs nose. DO NOT SAY ANYTHING. He will sniff at the target, as soon as his nose makes any contact with the target click-pause-treat.
9. Repeat again. Hold the target about 4-6 inches and wait for him to touch the target with his nose again. The instant he touches the target with his nose, click – pause – treat.
10. Repeat for a total of 10 times and then take a break. If your dog is a really quick learner, the light bulb starts to go off in your dog’s brain around nose to target touch 5 or 6. But don’t be discouraged if he is still not quite there. He is closer then you think.
11. After the break, pick up the target and again hold it out for the nose touch. The instant he touches it click-pause-treat. Repeat for a total of 10 touches. You guessed it take a break again.
12. Repeat the set of 10 again 1 more time. If your dog is starting to poke his nose at the target as soon as you offer it, you can now start putting a “cue” to the nose to target poke. I use “TOUCH” but some people use “TARGET”. So it goes like this….. (1) Say “Touch” as you present/hold up the target (2) Dog touches the target with his nose (3) click-pause-treat the moment he touches the target with his nose. (4) Repeat 10 times and for three sets of 10 with play breaks in between sets.
13. When your dog is at 80% success (8/10 “Touch” commands result in a nose touch to the target) you are ready to make the exercise more difficult. Increase the difficulty by slowly holdng the target futher away and lower to the floor, until the target is on the floor. You still want a nose touch to the target on the floor when you say touch. (My sheltie used to try to cheat by dropping her head but not going all the way to the target – sneaky little buger!!!)
14. Once you have 80% touches with the target on the floor, increase the distance your dog has to travel to touch the target. (I can now send my sheltie out 20-30 feet to her target.)
15. Have fun!!! And go slowly. Take lots of breaks and enjoy your “thinking” dog!!!
The link below is a great resource on clicker training.
Good Luck!!
doggydog
my dog is clicker trained, he will come, if you click. It depends on what you want to teach her. Whenever shes does what you want say good girl and give her a treat
Alex
I’ve tried training with a clicker and without on two different dogs, really didn’t notice any difference.
Elle
The clicker method is nice becasue it rewards the dog for the right behavior at exactly the moment your get the desired behavior.
There are books and most likely videos on how to start clicker training your pet. I would recomend you get one and go for it.
Any time you spend training your pet is well worth it. It helps you and the pet bond and makes for a better pet for you.
tlctreec
I have had success using a clicker. There’s a good book that utilizes clicker training. It’s called, “The Only Dog Tricks Book You’ll Ever Need” by Gerilyn J. Bielakiewicz. It tells how to do dog tricks and commands. My dog learned “high five” in minutes.
YES!!!! This is an excellent way to train and shape behaviors. I started clicker training last year for the first time and I LOVE it!!! It is amazing when your dog starts thinking about what he is doing. You can almost see the wheels turning in their brains as they figure out how to make you click again.
Some starting points follow:
1. Always do training sessions in sets of 10 and pause between training session sets for at least 15 minutes before attempting the same behavior training session again. Only work on 1 behavior during a training session set (10 attempts).
2. Take out 10 small (cheerio-sized) smelly chewy treats. Cut up hotdogs work great.
3. Place a buckle collar or halti head collar on your dog and a 6 foot leash.
4. Click your clicker pause for about a second and then treat your dog. Click – Pause – Treat.
5. Repeat 10 times then take a break (Play a quick game of fetch, etc. This break doesn’t need to be too long). You are training your dog that the click means a treat is coming, and that training sessions can be fun as well.
6. After the break, get out 10 more treats, and repeat the click-pause-treat. By now when your dog hears a click, he should be eagerly anticipating the treat. After 10 take another break.
7. TARGET TRAINING- “TOUCH” command. Get out a round clear plastic container top. I use the top of a Pringles Potato Chip can, but so long as it is no bigger then 3-4 inches in diameter and is clear it really doesn’t matter what you use. (Clear targets are easier to phase out later then solid colored targets which are more visable).
8. Hold the target about 4-6 inches in front of your dogs nose. DO NOT SAY ANYTHING. He will sniff at the target, as soon as his nose makes any contact with the target click-pause-treat.
9. Repeat again. Hold the target about 4-6 inches and wait for him to touch the target with his nose again. The instant he touches the target with his nose, click – pause – treat.
10. Repeat for a total of 10 times and then take a break. If your dog is a really quick learner, the light bulb starts to go off in your dog’s brain around nose to target touch 5 or 6. But don’t be discouraged if he is still not quite there. He is closer then you think.
11. After the break, pick up the target and again hold it out for the nose touch. The instant he touches it click-pause-treat. Repeat for a total of 10 touches. You guessed it take a break again.
12. Repeat the set of 10 again 1 more time. If your dog is starting to poke his nose at the target as soon as you offer it, you can now start putting a “cue” to the nose to target poke. I use “TOUCH” but some people use “TARGET”. So it goes like this….. (1) Say “Touch” as you present/hold up the target (2) Dog touches the target with his nose (3) click-pause-treat the moment he touches the target with his nose. (4) Repeat 10 times and for three sets of 10 with play breaks in between sets.
13. When your dog is at 80% success (8/10 “Touch” commands result in a nose touch to the target) you are ready to make the exercise more difficult. Increase the difficulty by slowly holdng the target futher away and lower to the floor, until the target is on the floor. You still want a nose touch to the target on the floor when you say touch. (My sheltie used to try to cheat by dropping her head but not going all the way to the target – sneaky little buger!!!)
14. Once you have 80% touches with the target on the floor, increase the distance your dog has to travel to touch the target. (I can now send my sheltie out 20-30 feet to her target.)
15. Have fun!!! And go slowly. Take lots of breaks and enjoy your “thinking” dog!!!
The link below is a great resource on clicker training.
Good Luck!!
my dog is clicker trained, he will come, if you click. It depends on what you want to teach her. Whenever shes does what you want say good girl and give her a treat
I’ve tried training with a clicker and without on two different dogs, really didn’t notice any difference.
The clicker method is nice becasue it rewards the dog for the right behavior at exactly the moment your get the desired behavior.
There are books and most likely videos on how to start clicker training your pet. I would recomend you get one and go for it.
Any time you spend training your pet is well worth it. It helps you and the pet bond and makes for a better pet for you.
I have had success using a clicker. There’s a good book that utilizes clicker training. It’s called, “The Only Dog Tricks Book You’ll Ever Need” by Gerilyn J. Bielakiewicz. It tells how to do dog tricks and commands. My dog learned “high five” in minutes.