Keep in mind that the clicker is the signal that a reward is coming, rather than being the reward itself. With the clicker, your dog will learn two main things–the exact moment that he is doing the right thing, and that a treat always comes after the click. The clicker can be a much more precise method than verbal cues (“good” or “thanks”) to communicate with your dog during a training session. This can help speed up the pace of training. [5] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source You could think of the clicker like the winning buzzer on a game show–the noise signals the exact moment that the correct behavior or action is being performed.
Keep in mind that the clicker is the signal that a reward is coming, rather than being the reward itself. With the clicker, your dog will learn two main things–the exact moment that he is doing the right thing, and that a treat always comes after the click. The clicker can be a much more precise method than verbal cues (“good” or “thanks”) to communicate with your dog during a training session. This can help speed up the pace of training. [5] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source You could think of the clicker like the winning buzzer on a game show–the noise signals the exact moment that the correct behavior or action is being performed.
You will need at least a handful of treats, since you will be practicing this over and over. Repeat this several times. Vary the amount of time that you hold the treat in your hand before using the clicker so that your dog does not begin to expect when the treat will come. If your dog wants to sniff and try to get at the treat, keep your hand closed and wait until he loses interest in the treat before using the clicker.
If he continues to run away from the clicking noise, you will probably need to rely more on verbal cues to train him.
As your dog becomes more comfortable with clicker training, you can use the clicker in areas that are louder or have more distractions (e. g. , room with a TV on, dog park).
The “catching” method will only work when your dog already knows how to do the good behavior without being commanded to do so. The clicker training will reinforce to him that he is doing the right thing, which will encourage him to repeat the good behavior.
By using the clicker and reward at each small step, you will be providing him with continual positive reinforcement as he is learning the new behavior. He will think that this learning is fun and will likely perform the new behavior with eagerness. You may need to practice each step of the new behavior over and over again before moving to the next small step.
When you see that your dog consistently responds with the food lure, remove the food lure but continue to hold your hand in front of his nose as if you have a treat. When he lies down, immediately use the clicker and give him a treat. Eventually, your dog will learn how to lie down by following only your hand signals without the lure of a treat. The “lure” method can sometimes be quicker than the “shaping” or “catching” methods.
Your verbal cue should be short and direct, such as “sit” or “down. " Sentences, such as “Be a good boy and stay” or “Roll over for mommy” would be too long. Make sure that you give the verbal cue before your dog does the behavior so that he knows to listen for your command and then respond to it. If you have used the “lure” method, give the hand signal after saying the verbal cue.
