Clicker Training

[Albino]

I've been training my brother's Cavalier King Charles Spaniel since we got her. I've taught her sit, down, roll over, and come. However, my brother returned home today with clicker training kit and said he wanted to clicker train her. I told him I did not want to train her in a method that I would have to carry around a clicker everywhere I go, because it can easily get lost and it just seems pointless to have to use a tool to train a dog when she responds just fine to vocal commands. He remained stubborn, and started yelling "Its my F***ing dog" and took her away and insists on clicker training. Are there any advantages to this method? Disadvantages? And if its not worth it, how can I convince him to just let me keep training like I have been? I know nothing about clicker training, I just give vocal commands and praise, and Chloe does well with it. Any advice? It just seems silly to me to have a tool to carry around when dogs respond so well to a simple "Good girl" as praise. I'd like to have a dog that I could make her do anything no matter where I am or what I have in my hands.

[Emeraldgreen]

I once attended a day course for clicker training years ago. I received a clicker and booklet at the end of it to take home. I haven't used it, though for years I've been meaning to!
The trainer showed us how to get the dog to basically 'think' it has us trained when in fact it is the reverse. He said that once you get the dog to associate the sound of the click with a treat, it will do what you're asking in hopes of hearing the sound of the click that will allow him to get the reward. He said that it's important that the dog not see you put the treats down on the ground because the dog needs to think the treats are a result of the click and not something you did. So you toss a small treat on the ground and click the clicker so the dog begins to like the sound because it means treats are coming.
Then you increase the challenge and ask the dog to do a command. If he follows through, you toss the treat on the floor and click the clicker. I think the ultimate goal is to weed out the treats and the clicker altogether at some point and it's just used as a motivator in the beginning.
The other thing I remember the trainer saying was that a command should only be given once. If you repeat it over and over, like 'sit, sit, sit, sit' until the dog finally sits, he won't take you seriously. But if you say it once and don't give him the click sound or the treat until he does the command, then he realizes that you're only going to ask him once and if wants the treat, he'll sit, or whatever you are asking him to do.
I'm sorry I can't remember more of it, it was awhile ago and I didn't follow through with it. My boys are good at sitting and lying down and staying so that's all I really need from them.

[Taz_Zoee]

I hope Giselle sees this thread. She is great with clicker training. We tried it with Zoee but the click sound scares her. Taggart went through his basic manners class with clicker training.
The point of the click is as Emeraldgreen said, the dog hears the click and knows the treat is coming. You eventually phase out the click and treat by giving commands and only give the click and treat every third time or so (after the dog has the command down with click/treat). So eventually they will do the command without reward.
So clicker training is not bad, it's just another way of training.

[Freedom]

Taz Zoee said what I was going to say.

I took my 3 to Basic Manners, where we started with clicker training. The next program was Beyond the Basics, and you faze out the clicker, as now the dog knows to respond to you, and you know how to train the dog.

It is just one method of training, and you don't keep with the clicker for life.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

I'm with albino on his originl point. Why even bother introducing a clicker (which you're supposed to phase out anyway) if the dog already obeys without one?

Although it is fun to walk around dog shows clicking one in your pocket

[bckrazy]

Clickers are actually SUPER handy for teaching tricks, even though it seems like even more work to carry one around. It works wonders with Fozzie in Obedience, because he tends to get very distracted by smells and dropped treats around the training site. The clicker keeps him motivated, excited, and allows me to tell him that he is getting a reward the millisecond that he does what I ask of him. You cannot say "good girl" in a millisecond... and you saying "good girl" is not a complete and total indication that a reward is coming. I'm sure you say "good girl" all of the time without a food reward, and praise is awesome, but for most dogs it is not the ultimate motivation.

For instance, I wanted to teach Fozzie beg for a long time... and I just couldn't get there. He would beg with a lure, but never without one, and he wouldn't hold the beg for more than a second. Until I used the clicker. He would beg, I would click, and slowly draw out the time between the click and the treat. The click let him know that he was doing the right thing, and that a reward was coming.

Clickers are also really helpful for making positive associations... like, if you're trying to desensitize your dog to something that scares them or causes them to react negatively. Click/treat, click/treat, click/treat over and over to reinforce is a lot easier than "good dog"/treat, "good dog"/treat, "good dog"/treat. In general, clickers are used to teach a new behavior, but they're also great to use when practicing known behaviors with lots of distractions. It allows you to mark exactly what you want your dog to do at the exact moment they do it, and being that your dog gets a treat after EVERY click, they really pay attention when the clicker is out.

We tried it with Zoee but the click sound scares her.

Gonzo used to run from the clicker... it was so sad. But, after lots and lots of loading (click/treat over and over), he really likes the clicker. You can buy various clickers that have softer or louder clicks. My clicker is adjustable, and I put it on the lowest setting for Gonzo.

[Taz_Zoee]

Gonzo used to run from the clicker... it was so sad. But, after lots and lots of loading (click/treat over and over), he really likes the clicker. You can buy various clickers that have softer or louder clicks. My clicker is adjustable, and I put it on the lowest setting for Gonzo.

Sophie was over back in December and she even tried the clicker in her pocket and Zoee wasn't having it. We do have pretty quiet clickers at the shelter boutique I volunteer with. They are nice too because they slide on your finger. Maybe I'll try one of those with her.

[boomersooner]

Boomer's trainer (was also Cassie's) has been training dogs for over 20 years....she does clicker training now and gets much better results....It takes some getting used to, but Boomer really responds to it......I love it.....I think it really does work..

[MoonandBean]

My goofy dog is afraid of the clicker
When we're at school, she's fine. Click. Treat. Click. Treat. No problem. If I try to use it at home, she runs away from it. IS NOTHING EASY WITH THIS DOG?

We started Agility last night and they plan on using the clicker so we'll see how it goes. She'll probably have a seizure when I bring the clicker to class next week

[clara4457]

Personally, I'm a big fan of clicker training. It isn't as if they can't learn without the clicker, but I think they learn faster and more reliably with clicker training. The thing I really like about the clicker is that your timing is better with the clicker. So many people fiddle for so long with the treat, that by the time the reward comes, the dog is confused as to what he/she is being rewarded for. The clicker is also consistent from person to person, sound to sound and prevents confusion to the dog.

The clicker is GREAT for shaping behaviors and tricks. You can put the clicker on a lanyard that you can wear around your neck or clip it on your treat bag.

Just my 2 cents.

[boomersooner]

Boomer can hear that clicker in another room, and he comes a running, wondering what he did, and what kind of treat he is going to get! HA