The Background and Use of Clicker Training For Dogs
Tina Spriggs
Presently, and throughout the 1990s a phenomena swept through the
dog-lover’s community. It was called “Clicker Training,” and was
implemented to teach dogs (along with horses and cats) that
certain behaviors would be awarded, while others were not. Ms.
Karen Pryor, a former dolphin trainer and author, along with a
team of “Operant Trainers” started giving presentations at dog
shows. They displayed how the small plastic device (about half
the size of a bottle-opener) could be used to train dogs to do a
number of “tricks,” in just a few days; tricks that would’ve
taken months or even years to learn before.
The idea of using an acoustic sound or “click” to stimulate
desired behaviors is called “operant conditioning” and was first
used with dolphins and whales as early as the 1930s. This idea
evolved and was formulated for other types of animals. These
animals, like their dolphin predecessors, were “conditioned” to
perform desired behaviors or actions.
Clicker Training is entirely based on a system of positive
reinforcement with no punishment for undesired behavior. The
clicker is clicked to let the dog know that he did something
(i.e. sat, didn’t chew or jumped over a box, etc.) right. The
system is designed to shape behavior by allowing the animal to do
something for which he will then be rewarded with a click and a
treat. It is NOT designed (as old training methods were) for the
dog owner to physically manipulate the animal to sit, for
example. Modern animal behaviorists find that animals learn more
by themselves than when someone “shows” them how they should
react in a situation.
If this idea is still hard to grasp, think about dolphins; or
better yet, killer whales. There is no way that a trainer is
going to physically manipulate a whale to jump out of the water.
However, whales jump out of the water (at least partially)
without conditioning. When these same whales jump out of the
water, hear the “click” (or some associated sound), and then
receive a treat, they quickly associate jumping out of the water
as a positive behavior. Once that connection is made, trainers
gradually increase what it takes (a higher jump) for the whale to
get a click and a treat. It’s the same idea for a dog. The
trainer waits for the dog to sit, quickly clicks, and gives the
dog a treat. Puppies have been shown to learn as fast as within
one click.
It’s important when using Clicker Training that the clicker is
used immediately following the desired behavior. If the trainer
or owner waits even a second, then the training could take a lot
longer. Or worse yet, the dog may not associate the click and
treat with something he did right. The clicker allows you to use
something besides your voice to control your pet’s behaviors. It
provides an external stimulus outside your body and provides a
sound that is always the same, hence, always precise. It might be
considered to be like a small remote control.
Today, Clicker Training is spreading like wildfire across many
states and countries. Ms. Karen Pryor notes that in the early
1990s there were no Clicker Trainers. Just the idea existed. But
now that people are seeing the amazing results, there are people
budding up everywhere buying the manuals and using the device to
train their dogs. Success statistics vary, but they lay somewhere
between 90% and 100% percent effective. The higher statistics are
a result of the dog having only one trainer who follows the
guidelines exactly. When used precisely, it’s seemingly a
flawless method of pet training.
To get more free information about dog training or the use of
clickers, visit us at
www.dog-gifts-and-toys-for-dog-lovers.com
Tina Spriggs is an expert dog lover whose lifelong interest in
canines provides the motivation for her site. To learn more about
dogs or to find gifts and toys for them visit her site at Dog
Gifts and Toys for Dog Lovers.
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