Clicker Training Tips

I have seen and read multiple articles discussing the topic of communicating with dogs. Some of these articles are wonderfully informative about canine body language, others promote the newest technology designed to let you know what your dog is thinking. I do not think we will ever be able to read our dog’s minds (some things are better not known), but understanding how to effectively communicate with your dog already exists.

There currently is a device that allows you to speak clearly to your dog and be understood
(magic fairy dust? Nope.). This simple device is called a clicker, which, when used it makes a short distinct “click” sound. The clicker is not a remote that comes pre-programmed with your pup; the clicker is a tool that allows you to bridge the language barrier between you and your dog. The clicker is the most important piece of dog training equipment, besides treats of course.

If you have ever trained a dog before (or attempted to), then you know how crucial communication is to achieving success. Unfortunately for our dogs, we humans often send mixed signals that are very confusing and impossible to learn from. Imagine if you went to a school where the teachers taught in a different language, they expected you to know certain knowledge ahead of time, and they graded your homework inconsistently. Most students would suffer in an educational environment like that, yet many people teach their dogs in a similar way.

Instead of blaming our dogs, let’s recognize that we as humans need to be better teachers;
when our human children are struggling to learn we don’t blame the child, we change our
approach until we find what works. This clicker is an extremely powerful dog training tool, and with great power comes great responsibility (remember to only use your clicker for good!). For a tool to work properly you must learn how to use it. To understand how the clicker works you can study up on classical and operant conditioning. If brushing up on your psychology doesn’t sound appealing and you live in the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati area check out our facility, our dog training courses that utilize the power of the clicker. If you don’t live near us, have no fear, find your friendly neighborhood clicker trainer to help you.
Once you understand how the clicker works, you will realize how easy it is to communicate with your dog using it. With this tool in hand you have the capability to train any dog to do practically any behavior. This means you can finally teach Fido to go relax while you enjoy a peaceful dinner, free of begging and food snatching. Deaf dogs can be taught this way too, we simply replace the “click” with a visual cue instead. Ready to start communicating with your dog? Then sign up for a dog training course near you and get clicking!