In dog training, marker training* or “operant conditioning” allows you to separate the marking of the desired behavior from delivering the reward. Separating the two gives you time to focus and train with greater precision. Even though at first it may feel like an added complication, using a clicker rather than your voice to mark the behavior improves the effectiveness even more.
To get started with a clicker, follow the advice below. Basically, you will decide exactly behavior you want your dog to perform, observe the animal until you see that behavior (or an approximation of it), and click the second you see it. The sound of the clicker tells the dog, “You just earned a treat!” Now your dog can pay more attention to what he was doing the split second he heard the click rather than on the treat, the treat pouch, or other distractions.
Benefits of the Clicker
- More efficient and effective.
- More crisp and clear than voice—it only ever means one thing.
- Clear and positive.
- Allows more joyful sessions and longer attention spans for repetitive behaviors.
- Faster learning and longer and more reliable retention.
- Improves consistency and clarity in your instruction.
- Forces you to break down behaviors and expectations clearly.
- Removes emotion from the process.
- Helps you shape extremely fine, sophisticated behaviors.
- Improves your use of a marker word for times when you don’t have the clicker.
Drawbacks
- You don’t always have a clicker (which is why it’s good to have a marker word too, such as “yes”).
- Doesn’t work on a dog that has no food or toy drive.
- Requires focus and practice.
How to “Charge” or “Load” a Clicker
- If you learn better visually, see the video below.
- “Loading a clicker” simply means teaching your dogs that the click means “You just earned a treat!” When they hear the click, they will anticipate a treat and try to figure out how to make you click and treat again.
- Sit very still and silently. It’s important to isolate the click from your voice and gestures.
- To get that communication started, simply click and immediately give your dog a treat over and over. You’re going for a Pavlovian response.
- Try to click when your dog is looking away. That way you’ll know when they’re starting to anticipate the treat. You may deliver the treat by hand or by tossing it, but make it quick after clicking. Wait until your dog loses interest before clicking and treating (C&T) again. Try to do it when your dog is doing something different each time. Repeat 20 x.
- Playing 101 Things to Do With a Box is a good way to load a clicker, hone your clicker skills, and increase your dog’s confidence in his or her agency.
- When your dog hears the click and looks to you for a treat, the clicker is loaded!
Common Clicker Mistakes and How to Fix Them
- Reaching for the treat before marking the behavior. Your dog will be distracted by the reward rather than focused on what they did to earn it. Once they understand the meaning of the treat, you won’t need to be in such a hurry to deliver it. A dog too focused on the treat pouch gets frustrated and frustrates you. Try to get in the habit of reaching for the treat only AFTER marking the behavior. Remember, a click means “I owe you.”
- Trying to help your dog by exaggerating your own body language. The more you move, the more movements you’ll have to phase out.
- Using the clicker to bribe the dog or get the dog’s attention. The clicker is a powerful communication tool to shape behavior. It is not a “Hey, you!” Using the clicker in this way will dilute its power and break your dog’s trust.
- Using multiple clicks to indicate “applause” for a very good job. Multiple clicks mark everything the dog does during that span of time, such as standing there looking pleased and confused. If you want to give a dog a bonus for supreme achievement, mark the desired behavior with ONE click, then give exuberant praise and a jackpot of treats. That way your dog knows exactly what behavior triggered this awesome reward.
Clicker Demo: How to Mark and Shape a Desired Behavior
See also:
https://www.clickertraining.com/how-to-practice-clicker-mechanics
*For this lesson, I drew from and highly recommend Karen Pryor’s Reaching the Animal Mind.
