Dog Clicker Training is described by many, who have used it, as the most human method to train a dog. In addition to this it has been proven to be very effective training method and it is being used not only for dogs but also for many other species such as cats, whales, bear, lions and many others.
Many wonder what is so special about Dog Clicker Training and how is it any different from other positive training methods.
In this method dog isn t bribed to do action but is rather told exactly what action has earned him the reward and dog than offers that behavior over and over again to earn the reward. This type of conditioning is called Operant Conditioning .
How is dog told which action has earned him a reward?
Every time dog performs wanted action it needs to be marked by click. The timing of the click is essential for the success. If the click comes too late than dog will associate that with some other action that it was doing at the time of the click. However, if the click is done in timely manner, dog will learn that click means something good and he will be rewarded for it therefore he learns very quickly what action had earned him a reward. It is believed that the click is much more reliable than let’s say voice to mark desired behavior due the fact that the click remains the same all the time and therefore is preferred way of communication.
In order to be successful with Dog Clicker Training we should follow three simply steps and they are:
1. Getting the desired action/behavior
2. Mark that behavior with the click
3. Reinforce this behavior
One of the biggest misconception about Dog Clicker Training is the assumption that this method will work only if we have clicker available all the times but nothing is further from the truth. As with any other dog training methods, here also, dog is given some time to learn & understand the behavior and than the cue which could be voice or hand signal, will be introduced to dog that in the future would trigger desired action. The click is only used to learn new behavior and when dog has mastered it the clicks will be replaced by other cues such as words or hand signals.
Also in this method, should the dog fail to do what he was asked to do, it is not assumed that dog had disobeyed but rather it should be re examined if the dog understands the cue and/or if the treat is desired enough by dog that he will do requested action.
Lastly, while it is recognized that physical correction will decrease unwanted action it is also feared that if the timing is not right dog would be confused and wouldn t know what he is really being punished for. In this method it is believed that relation between dog and dog owner is much stronger if focus is kept on positive aspect rather than negative.
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If you would like to find out more about: Clicker Training, Dog Clicker Training, and How To Train A Dog please visit http://www.dog-obediencetraining.org
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