WHAT IS CLICKER TRAINING?

HOW ARE DOGS TAUGHT?

Shelter dogs are taught using clicker training, a scientifically-based method of positive reinforcement. This means that good behaviour is rewarded while undesirable behaviour is ignored.

A clicker is a small plastic box that fits in the palm of your hand. It has a spring-loaded metal bar that creates a distinct “click.” The clicking sound is an indication to the dog that she did the right thing and she will get a treat for it. In other words, the click is not a reward for the dog, but a signal that a reward is coming. EVERY TIME YOU CLICK, YOU MUST TREAT!

Using a clicker is a good idea for a number of reasons. First, dogs don’t understand English so one simple sound is much easier to understand. Second, because the clicker always sounds the same, it minimizes the confusion produced by a number of different people with different voices. Third, it pinpoints the moment when the desired behaviour occurred much more accurately than you could with your voice. In the 3 or so seconds it takes to say “Good dog,” the dog could offer 10 different behaviours and therefore have no idea precisely what it was you liked. Finally, dogs quickly learn that a click means a treat from you; this makes training a great bonding experience and the dog will be extremely motivated to participate. During clicker training, dogs are never forced to do a behaviour or punished if they make a mistake.

Dogs are motivated by many things including praise, toys and (most importantly) food. At the shelter, we use various tasty treats like ham pieces, cheese, fruit, cereal and assorted kibble as special rewards during training. Use your imagination to come up with special treats that your dog will love (no chocolate!) Some of the best clicker-trained dogs work only for their dog food ration every day- and they love it!

WHAT ARE DOGS TAUGHT?

Dogs can be taught anything with clicker training! The key things to remember are patience, motivation and variation. At first, you need to take small steps towards your goal behaviour. For example, if you are training a dog to sit, you might click and treat whenever you happen to catch her sitting, or lure her into a sitting position by holding a treat in your closed hand and passing it slowly back over her forehead. As her back end folds into the sit position, click and treat! Remember to give a bit of food for every click or the dog will lose confidence in the clicker and you. After the dog is happily offering the behaviour on her own, add a hand signal or command just before she sits. Soon she will begin to associate your cue with her behaviour.

Our shelter dogs are taught basic commands such as sit, down, stay, heel (or walk nice), off and come. One of the most important things the dogs are taught is that jumping up on people is never rewarded. We do reward “4 on the floor,” of course! If a dog’s stay at the shelter is prolonged, additional behaviours may be taught. Some examples of what our longer-stay dogs have learned are fetch, crawl, gimme 5, and roll over.

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?

There are many resources on the web, plus books and videos, that are available to help you on the path to clicker training your dog. Feel free to call the PEI Humane Society and ask to speak to the AVC student trainer at (902) 892-1190 if you have any questions.

Clicker training can provide you with a happy relationship and a lasting bond with your dog. It is more fun for you and your dog if you can train her without pushing, hitting or hurting her. You’ll impress yourself with the amount of new things your dog can learn and how happy she is when she does them right… and how happy you are when you help her on that path! Good luck!!

This project is generously funded by the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre.

HOME