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Humans and animals have more fun living together when the dog is trained properly. In this respect, clicker training with the dog is an easy and supportive education method for you as his owner.
Clicker training for dogs is a proven and method of training and education that is becoming increasingly popular. It can be carried out both at home and at a professional dog school. The proven training method is based on findings from behavioural research with animals, and this method of positive reinforcement is also used in humans. Dog clicker training has been practiced in the UK for many years.
Anyone who gets a new dog is well advised to train him correctly from the start. An insubordinate dog means stress in everyday life, and this should be avoided as much as possible. Animals want to learn. They also need to be challenged, otherwise they can get frustrated over time.
Make use of what you have learned
With clicker training for dogs, you train different areas and decide for yourself where and how you want to use the clicker as a marker. This training is suitable, for example, for retrieving, but the clicker is also ideal for other dog games as it supports and promotes the whole education of the animal. It is also used by dog owners for agility or mantrailing. Once the dog has got to know this way of training, it can be used in many areas.
How does clicker training work?
Based on positive reinforcement, the dog’s correct behaviour is being rewarded. If the pet obtains rewarding, positive consequences from its behaviour, for example in the form of a treat, it will repeat exactly this behaviour again and again because it relates to a reward. If you love your dog, it is easier to reward correct behaviour than to punish wrongdoing. However, wrong behaviour must be punished consistently also, otherwise the pet will not be able to recognize it as wrong. The dog is stressed by punishment and for this reason alone clicker training is optimal to avoid unnecessary stressful situations.
Being fast is a must
When doing clicker training with a dog, keep one thing in mind: dogs can only remember their own behaviour for about a second. After that time has passed, the animal is no longer able to associate its behaviour with the reward. Now he wants to grab the next reward for no reason, because he often no longer knows what he actually received the reward for in the first place. This is where the clicker comes in. If the dog shows the desired behaviour, click immediately! Basically, the clicker is the reward, which the dog then immediately associates with the treat. So click and then reward the dog immediately. This is the only way for the animal to link the clicker noise with a positive consequence. He learns that when he hears the clicker, something good usually follows for him. If you have successfully trained the dog in clicker training, your dog’s education becomes much easier.
Dogs can “learn to learn” with clicker training
With educational supportive clicker training, the dog has the opportunity to learn in a positive way. This works with every dog, regardless of whether age. Clicker training only reinforces his behaviour, he does not experience any physical or linguistic correction. This positive training method is also very suitable for anxious dogs who have had bad experiences in the past. In particular, dogs who usually do not want to be touched by people, can make good learning and behavioural progress with clicker training. A clicker does not punish, but acts as a positive mediator between animals and humans. This is the only way the dog can enjoy learning because he has no punitive measures to fear.
The special thing about clicker training
Once the dog has learned the method, any punishment is taboo and his life becomes less stressful. With clicker training, the dog enjoys relaxed training that is associated with pleasant work for him. Another positive effect: the relationship between dog owner and furry friend becomes more trusting and intensive through clicker training. The dog knows that the owner is not the one to punish him. In the dog's eyes, the human is the one who only rewards him. Clicker training makes the most difficult tasks easier to master.
First get informed, then start
Before you start clicker training with your dog, inform yourself extensively about it. Good instructional materials are available online and at specialist shops. Many dog owners are downright enthusiastic about this positive training method because they achieve great success with it. Dog schools also offer workshops for dog owners on this topic.
