Feb/Mar 08

“Yes” for Clicker Training
by George Hickox

e train dogs for field work, but it surprises many students at our training schools for owners and their dogs that our early puppy development program, yard training, and basic obedience training are built around clicker training.

Clicker training is a way of marking and shaping the desirable behaviors a dog offers. In clicker training, a desired behavior is reinforced positively; an undesired behavior is ignored and is not rewarded. Positive reinforcement on a consistent basis increases the probability that a behavior will be repeated in the future. It is not to be used as an attention-getter; rather, it is used to mark a desired behavior and bridge the gap from the offering of the behavior and the receiving of the positive reinforcement.

The dogs must first be “base loaded” – a form of training that excludes commands. To do this, just click and treat. Cut up a couple hot dogs into small pieces for treats, press the clicker, and give the dog a treat. (The treat does not have to be a hot dog, but it should be bite-sized and easy to swallow quickly. A biscuit would not be preferable as it takes too long to chew and leaves crumbs, which the dog will break his concentration looking for.) Repeat consistently over a three- to five-minute session. Normally three or so sessions are enough to base load a dog. By completing the steps for base loading, a conditioned reinforcer has been developed. The primary reinforcer is the food; the conditioned reinforcer (the click) was learned by association. By following the click with a treat, the clicker has now become a powerful training tool. Very quickly the dog learns that the click is a good sound and will be followed by a treat.

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