I'm reading a book on clicker training right now as part of my homework in Boomer's class....I just started it, but it compares the clicker to the whistle that dolphin trainers use....you can use the clicker and it is an instant snapshot showing the dog the exact desired behavior.....Just learning myself, but it really makes sense now that I have a trainer that really explained it well...we used it in puppy kindergarten but I found it a hassle, but now I know more and have learned a few hints for handling it better.