afraid of clicker

[Suki Wingy]

I found out last night that Niño is afraid of the noise the clicker makes. Sometimes he doesn't understand what I'm asking him to do and the lag time between desired action and treat is too much so I wanted to clicker train him. He went from being perfectly happy and waping wis tail hard on my legs, to as soon as he heard the sound his ears and tail went down and he ran to my mom. He was cautious for the rest of the evening.
I guess what I'm asking is are there clickers that make different sounds? Could I perhaps use a whistle or something else that's as easy to use as a clicker? Has anyone else ever heard of a dog being terrified of the sound?

[Canis-Lupess]

You can use anything so long as the sound it makes is a sound your dog isn't familiar with previously.

One of our former dogs was frightened of sqeaky toys, Haha!!

Was your dog ok with the clicker at first. Did he act in the way that you describe from very first hearing it or did the behaviour develop?

[Giselle]

A clicker is just a marker. Saying the word "Yes!" has the exact same effect if you use it correctly (just like the principles of using a clicker ;)).

My agility trainer doesn't use clickers since most people don't have three arms, so we use the word "Yes!" instead. It works fine =) Just make sure you use the same intonation, pitch, and do it quickly and efficiently. To measure how well you can do it, drop a tennis ball and say "Yes!" every time it hits the ground. It'll give you an idea of how fast and accurate you are.

[Boone37]

I agree with Giselle. Saying "Good", "Yes" or "Okay" are all just as effecive as clicker training. (Good would probably be the best b/c we humans tend to say yes and okay A LOT!). You can actually use any word you want.

Some dogs find the clicker noise a bit harsh. If you want to try it again, try using it at first behind your back or in a pocket. It muffles the noise a bit.

Good luck!

[Suki Wingy]

Thanks. He acted that way the first time he heard the sound. I'll have to think of a work I don't regularly use, but it is so hard to stay constant with him.

[Giselle]

Well, who needs English anyways? Maybe you could use "Yes" in a different language. Going by Nino's name, perhaps you could use "Si" :D Seriously!

[punkrock]

thats weird.is he ufrad of the computer too.

[agilityk9trainer]

Yes, a few dogs don't like the sound. It's not that unusal.

And, as I tell my students, I don't care what you call a behavior as long as you're consistant. If you want to call it Beekabeeka, have fun.

I've always toyed with the idea of making up a very strange language and going into the agiity ring with my dog calling out quite silly commands. Of course, i won't do it. If something were to happen to me, my dog wouldn't be able to work for anyone else! :)

[CathyBogart]

Wilbur doesn't like the sound either. We were using a ball-point pen as a clicker with him. :) Much quieter click.

[catnapper]

Try snapping your fingers. Or putting hte clicker in your pocket to muffle the sound until he gets used tto the noise and what it means. Do you know how to "load the clicker"? If you don't load it (in other words, introduce it) properly, dogs will become wary of it and therefore afraid of it. How did you introduce the clocker to him?

[SemaviLady]

I don't have an issue with choosing alternative sounds for the 'clicker' but I do think it is also a worthwhile challenge to create a positive association to that which he has become afraid. Go ahead and use alternatives in training but meanwhile.......

Isn't there a happy time, like chow mixing time, that you could go to the kitchen, click the clicker and mix up his food and click again before you set it down where he can chow down? Think classical conditioning. Think PAVLOV. Do the Ivan Pavlov thing but instead do it using the clicker that is the source of the sensitivity to associate it with the 'dinner bell'.

Once he associates the clicker sound to his bestest ever yummies... Conquer the fear? Can he do it?

[cloverfdx]

A clicker is just a marker. Saying the word "Yes!" has the exact same effect if you use it correctly (just like the principles of using a clicker ).
You are just to quick for me LOL. Thats what i was going to say.

I too would start associating the clicker with good stuff like getting fed and playing etc ;). And if you have not done so i would 'load the clicker', which is pretty much sitting down with the dog and doing a reptition of 'Click, Treat' for free.

[ratdogg]

i have a clicker but its so loud I can't stand it. my cousin gave it to me but yeah i never used it. I think the ball point pen sounds like a good idea. i think i'll try it. I wonder if you can just make a clicking noise with your tongue and use that noise.

[Suki Wingy]

I've been using "mark!" (as in you've hit your mark right) but I'm no good and I say it late or forget to say it so it's not working at all. Maybe I'll try the pen idea, because I think conditioning him to it would be traumatic, it sends him cowering into the other room and he's not very food or toy oriented at all.

[Giselle]

"Mark" is a pretty hard word for me to say personally. I use "Yes!" with my pups, but I make sure the sound and pitch is very distinct. Get all your fervor and excitement and say "Yes!" enthusiastically (like "Yes! Oh my God I won the lottery! Yes!!").

Every time Nino perks his ears or looks at you when you say "Yes!", treat him. Do this periodically for at least a few days. Eventually, he learn that "Yes!" = treat. This is what "loading the clicker" is. If you don't load, the dog has to learn through trial and error what the clicker/marker means. And, as you Nino has shown us all, trial and error takes a long time to 'click' with the dog ;) After that, it'll become a habit for the both of you and "Yes!" will come naturally.