Clicker Training for Puppies
by admin ~ February 25th, 2008I’ve trained many dogs over the years, typically using the standard method of giving a command, like “sit,” pushing gently on the puppy’s rear end to help them into a sitting position, then giving a treat. This seemed to work pretty well.
I recently began taking a beginner’s obedience class with a new puppy. The class is based on clicker training. The theory behind clicker training is that you are able to click (a small metal “clicker” can be purchased at pet supply stores) at exactly the moment the dog performs the desired action, then follow the click with a treat. This provides a more precisely timed reward for the desired behavior (the click), helping the puppy to understand what it is you want faster. Clicker training provides positive reinforcement which seems to work really well with dogs and puppies.
I must admit, I was skeptical at first. We were instructed to stand with the clicker in one hand and a treat in the other, look at our puppy’s backside and wait for them to sit without giving commands or assisting with motion. I was suprised when it worked! But sure enough, after just a few seconds of making eye contact with my puppy’s backside, he sat down and and looked at me, trying to figure out what I was doing and what I wanted. Immediately upon contact between the puppy’s rear and the ground, the clicker is clicked, then a treat follows.
A few weeks into the classes, I’ve found I’m getting a more rapid response to commands. My puppy seems to be grasping new concepts after just a few repetitions of commands with the clicker, vs. the few weeks it would typically take to learn commands the old way. He definitely associates that click with a positive response and a treat. Clicker training receives a thumbs up!
