As a pet owner, you want to ensure that your dog is as happy and healthy as they can possibly be during their lifetime. This would include feeding them the proper foods, ensuring that they have a warm and comfortable place to live and taking them to the veterinarian when necessary. Another factor that cannot be overlooked is obedience training. This is more than just teaching your dog how to sit or stay, it is a process that both of you go through together.
When you’re first looking for a way to train your dog, you might be amazed with exactly how many different methods are out there. Some of those methods are going to be harsher than others and some are best avoided. One type of training that has gained a considerable amount of popularity is clicker training. This is a method of training that uses behavioral psychology and a marker, in the form of the noise, which helps to reward good behavior.
One of the most important factors to consider with clicker training is the fact that you will have to have the mechanical clicker with you when going through the training process. It is a rather simplistic device, but it makes a sound that lets the dog know that their behavior is acceptable. Just like any other verbal cue, the clicker is a form of communication and when you combine it with positive reinforcement, it can help to teach a dog to obey almost any command.
If you’re going to use clicker training to teach your dog, it’s important to understand the basic method of doing so. Animals have the ability to associate something positive with a sound. Perhaps you have heard of Pavlov’s dogs, who heard a bell ring every time they were fed. Eventually, they would salivate when they heard a bell, even when there was no food present. A similar thing happens when you use a clicker. By rewarding the dog and then using the clicker immediately after or at the exact same time, the habit will stick and eventually, the dog will know they are doing something right when they hear the noise.
One of the benefits of using a clicker as a training device is the fact that it keeps your dog from getting too many treats. I’ll be the first one to admit that all of us enjoy giving our dog a treat now and then but if you are training them regularly, it may be too much of a good thing. Once they get use to the sound of the clicker and understand its positive implications, the treats can be taken away or greatly reduced.
Using a clicker is a great way to train a dog and it is something that many people find to be very beneficial. It helps to train the dog by using behavioral modification, including a reward that is long-lasting. Eventually, your dog will learn the cue so there is no need to continue clicking but when you’re ready to teach your dog a new trick, you can pick it back up again.
