Click. Treat. Obey. How To Train Your Dog With A Clicker
By Len McGrane
Tried everything you can think of, and still your dog is not obeying you? Clicker training could very well be something that will work for you.
Even if you've never seen one, you can probably guess from its name what it does and what sound it makes.
The click of the clicker tells the dog , 'Excellent!' In training the click is usually immediately followed with a small treat. Using the click and a reward is a powerful pair of techniques.
As you are aware, teaching your dog to obey with a clicker doesn't involve punishment, or violence. Also, each step of training with a clicker your dog sees as positive. The click provides the dog an assurance that he is doing the required task correctly. When you then add the small treat or reward to the 'Click!' your dog is washed with positive encouragement to repeat the behavior you are teaching him.
It's likely you can train your dog to do anything with just a clicker and small rewards.
You can teach your dog to sit when instructed, with a clicker, for example. Get a little reward and pass it across the
dog's head. He'll give it all his attention, and as he follows it back with his eyes his back will arch and his backside will eventually settle onto the floor. When his backside touches the floor, you can click and reward. Repeat the process a few times adding the command to "Sit!". Quickly most will be sitting when told to, 'Sit!'. It's a statement of the effectiveness of click training.
That is just one example. It's likely you can teach your dog almost anything with a clicker.
The clicker produces trained dogs, and its also the gentlest way there is to teach your dog. I recommend it.
