| I love it when people ask why I use clicker | | | | confuse the idea of a behavior-contingent food |
| training to teach dogs. It's not the only method I | | | | reward with a bribe. |
| use -- not by a long shot. | | | | They think that food is used to bribe the dog. |
| But... | | | | But that's not the right way to look at it. A click |
| I have used clicker training to teach my own | | | | treat is never a bribe. It's a paycheck! Done |
| dogs, and I use it to teach my clients' dogs as | | | | properly, the click/treat sequence immediately |
| well. | | | | tells your dog that a specific physical action is |
| Here's a basic explanation about why I think | | | | correct -- that it's desired by you, the pack |
| clicker training can be a great way to instill good | | | | leader. And dogs aim to please the leader, |
| behavior in any dog. | | | | What makes clicker training different from more |
| First, when people ask me about clicker training, it | | | | "passive" forms of praise, such as a friendly pat |
| gives me the chance explain some basic dog | | | | on the head or a "good dog" comment from you, |
| training principles -- and these principles will serve | | | | is that those actions might not be directly tied to |
| you well no matter what training method you use. | | | | the behavior your dog just performed. |
| For example, clicker training dogs gives you a | | | | The problem with just giving a dog a friendly pat, |
| great sense of how using behavior-contingent | | | | or saying "good boy" as a way to reward positive |
| rewards makes the right things easy, and the | | | | behavior, is that by the time you get the words |
| wrong things hard, for your dog. | | | | "good boy" out of your mouth, or put your hand |
| The way it works is simple... | | | | down for a friendly pat, the specific behavior that |
| Because I can shape a behavior, it allows me to | | | | you want to reward has already altered. |
| pair a click with a treat so that it teaches a dog | | | | To get the best results when using a clicker, your |
| the exact moment that a specific behavior earns | | | | timing is very important. You need to click/treat |
| a reward. | | | | at the exact moment when the behavior occurs. |
| But that's not all. Clicker training also demonstrates | | | | That way, your dog knows what he did to earn |
| the idea that leader controls food (one of the | | | | the click/treat and -- here's the key -- he can |
| most fundamental concepts you need to learn if | | | | repeat it! |
| you ever want your dog to recognize you as | | | | If there is too big a delay between the behavior |
| pack leader), and compels me, the teacher, to | | | | and the click/treat, a dog gets confused. |
| pay attention to detail. | | | | But by paying attention to the small things, big |
| Now, I know that using food as a reward is a real | | | | behaviors can happen quickly and easily. |
| hot button issue for some people, because they | | | | |