Do Dog Training Clickers Work?

Do dog training clickers work? This was exactly the question I wrestled with as a first-time pet parent, frustrated by the fact that the clicker seemed to do nothing to aid the training process for my pet. I had all but given up on using clickers as part of the training process because at the time, I didn’t even realize that the ineffectiveness was due to my inability to get the timing of the clicks right.

It was only when I saw a trainer we hired to work with our rescued GSD that I saw the effectiveness of clicker training for dogs. He responded to it far better than he did to praise and that’s when I knew I had to get a hang of clicker training. The trainer was kind enough to share some effective clicker training tips. 

Those coupled with research, and now, some years of practice under my belt, have taught me everything I know about offering positive reinforcement with clicker training to teach your dog desirable behaviors. In this step-by-step guide to clicker training, I share all of those tips and tricks for the benefit of my fellow pet parents.  

What is Clicker Training?

Clicker training is a positive reinforcement technique that has proven to be immensely effective in canine training. It entails using a small device—the clicker, which makes a distinct click sound when pressed—to reinforce desirable behaviors. It is often used in conjunction with other rewards like praise or treats. 

The first step of the process is “charging” the clicker, where a positive association is made with the clicker sound by pairing it with something that your pet values, like food. Once your dog gets the idea that a click means they’re about to get a reward, the clicker can be used to mark specific behaviors. 

Precision is key. A desirable behavior must be marked at the exact moment it occurs. With consistent practice, your dog will learn to repeat the desired behaviors to receive rewards. The effectiveness of clicker training lies in its ability to provide clear and instant feedback, making it easier for your pet to understand what is expected of them. Animal behaviorist Karen Pryor, a pioneer of clicker training, explains, “The clicker provides a clear, consistent marker, so the animal knows exactly what behavior is being reinforced.”

Suggested Reading: 10 Signs Your Dog Needs More Training

Benefits of Clicker Training

Given that there are myriad different approaches to dog training, why do you need a clicker? And do dog training clickers really work so effectively that you need to put in the effort to figure out how to use them? These questions are bound to surface as you explore a new concept. That’s why, before we get to how to start clicker training for dogs, it’s important to touch upon benefits of using a dog training clicker:

• Clear communication: As I’ve already mentioned, clickers provide clear and instant feedback that this particular behavior is expected. For most dogs, it can be far easier to comprehend than long-winding sentences of praise
• Positive reinforcement: Once the click sound has been associated with high-value rewards like food, the clicker becomes the most effective tool of positive reinforcement. Encouraging learning by rewarding good behavior promotes trust between the trainer and the animal
• Precision: It allows you to reinforce the exact behavior you want your pet to emulate. For instance, if it’s the “sit” command, you can click as soon as your pet’s rear touches the ground as opposed to rewarding them a few seconds after the fact 
• Improves speed of learning: Instant feedback helps your pet learn desired behaviors faster and more efficiently 
• Helps in bonding: Since clicker training is a reward-based system, it fosters a relationship of trust between you and your pet
• No fear or punishment: It’s a humane method of training, which eliminates punishment or fear-based approach to training
• Fun and engaging: It makes training sessions fun and engaging for both you and your pet

How to Start Clicker Training for Dogs

Now that you understand the benefits of using a dog training clicker, you may be wondering, “How do I get started?” Fret not, we’ll talk in detail about how to use a clicker for dog training. Let’s get started, shall we? Here is a step-by-step guide to clicker training:  

1. Get the right tools

First things first, you need to gather the supplies, which isn’t much. All you need is a clicker device and your pet’s favorite treats. The only important thing to bear in mind is that you choose a clicker that has a distinct and easily recognizable sound. 

2. Charge the clicker

“Charging the clicker” means teaching your pet to associate the sound with a reward. If you’re wondering how to start clicker training for dogs, your first step should be to click the device and immediately give your pet a treat. Repeat this until your pet gets that the click sound is a sign of a reward coming their way. Apart from creating the right association, this helps build anticipation and makes your dog look forward to training.

3. Start with simple behaviors

As with any other approach to canine training, the key to success lies in starting small and steadily increasing the complexity. You must start clicker training for dogs for basic commands like “sit” or “come”. When your pet does what is asked of them, click immediately and offer them a treat. This will help them associate the action with the reward.

Dog trainer Jean Donaldson advises, “Small, incremental steps toward a bigger goal work best when training with the clicker.”

4. Keep sessions short

Dogs, especially puppies, much like children, have short attention spans and can quickly become bored or disinterested in an acitivty. To make sure that your pet doesn’t lose interest, you must keep the training sessions short—about 5 to 10 minutes each. It can help to repeat the sessions two to three times a day.

Dog trainer Victoria Stilwell endorses this approach, and says, “Short, frequent sessions are more effective than long, drawn-out ones.”

5. Timing is key

One of the most common mistakes in clicker training—and the part I struggled with the most at first—is timing the click. You’ve got to click and then follow it up with a reward as soon as your pet performs a desired behavior. Down to the second. This is critical because it helps your dog understand exactly which action is being rewarded.

“A delay in clicking can confuse the animal,” says Patricia McConnell, PhD, a renowned animal behaviorist.

6. Stay positive and patient

The effectiveness of clicker training may be undisputed, even so, it’s no magic wand that will instantly have your pet perform tricks like a pro. There will be hits and misses, and the only correct way to deal with them is to be patient with your dog, reward the desired behaviors and refrain from punishing or scolding when they don’t get it right. “Consistency and positivity are essential for successful clicker training,” emphasizes Ian Dunbar, a veterinarian and animal behaviorist.

7. Gradually fade out the clicker

Once your dog has mastered a behavior, begin phasing out the clicker by rewarding with treats less frequently. This ensures the behavior remains consistent even when there is no click to affirm the action. Animal trainer Ken Ramirez advises, “Gradually fading the clicker ensures there is no dependency on the click.”

For visual demonstration, watch this video:

Basic Commands with a Clicker

I hope you now have abundant clarity on the question of, how do dog training clickers work? Now, on to the next one: which commands to teach your dog using a clicker. As I’ve already said, it’s best to start small and gradually build up the complexity. With that premise in mind, here are some basic dog commands you can teach using the clicker training approach:

1. Sit: Click and reward the moment their bottom touches the ground. This is one of the easiest commands to teach your dog
2. Stay: After your dog learns to sit, teach “stay” by clicking and rewarding for holding the position without moving
3. Come: Use the clicker to reinforce recall. When your dog comes to you upon being called, click and reward immediately
4. Down: Use a treat to guide your dog into a lying down position, and click the moment they lower themselves to the ground
5. Stand: Once your dog knows “sit” and “down,” you can teach “stand” by clicking and rewarding when they rise into a standing position
6. Leave it: This command teaches your dog to ignore something they’re interested in/excited by. Click as soon as they stop engaging with the object
7. Heel: Train your dog to walk beside you by clicking and rewarding them when they walk beside or a step behind your leg 
8. Drop it: Teach the release command by clicking and rewarding as soon as your dog drops the item from their mouth
9. Watch me: Teach your dog to focus their attention on you by clicking and offering a treat when they make eye contact with you
10. Touch: Teach your dog to touch their nose to your hand or a target by clicking and rewarding the moment they perform the desired action. This is a fun and useful trick for redirection.

Suggested Reading: How to Train Your Dog to be a Therapy Dog (Step By Step)

Advanced Clicker Training Techniques

Once you’ve got a hang of how to use a clicker for dog training and your pet has mastered the basic commands, it’s time to up the ante. Here are some advanced clicker training techniques you can use to take your pet’s skills to the next level:  

1. Shaping

Shaping entails breaking a desired action into small steps and rewarding your pet at each step, nudging them toward a final behavior. Instead of waiting until your dog has completed the desired action, you click and reward incremental progress, reinforcing each desired behavior along the way. For example, you can use the shaping technique to teach your dog to roll over by clicking when they first lie down, then click for shifting to their side, and finally for rolling fully.

2. Target training

Target training is one of the advanced dog training tasks for your pet to track or follow an object—your hand or a stick, for example. The clicker is used to mark when the animal interacts with the target. This can be helpful for directing movements and can be used to lay the foundation for tasks like agility training or obstacle courses.

3. Back chaining

This technique involves teaching your pet a particular behavior in reverse and is effective for reinforcing and perfecting multi-step behaviors like retrieving an item. So, you start with the last part of a behavior first and then work backward. For example, you could start by teaching your dog to drop an object in your hand, then click for picking it up, and finally for fetching it from a distance.

Suggested Reading: How to Train a Dog Off Leash

4. Capturing

Capturing entails reinforcing naturally occurring behaviors, with the intent of getting your dog to perform them on cue. For instance, when your dog stretches, you can click and reward them, simultaneously adding a command like “bow”. Over time, your pet will learn to repeat the behavior on cue.

5. Proofing

Proofing is the technique that ensures your pet will respond to your commands consistently, irrespective of the environment or distractions. For example, if you’ve taught your dog to “sit” at home, proofing would involve practicing the command in a park or with other dogs around. You repeat the clicking and rewarding cycle for successful responses in various settings until the behavior is drilled into your pet’s personality.

6. Duration training

As the name suggests, this involves gradually increasing the duration a behavior is maintained before clicking and rewarding. For example, after teaching “stay,” you can extend the amount of time your dog stays before rewarding. Duration training builds patience and focus.

7. Fluency training

Fluency focuses on teaching behaviors that are not only correct but fast and reliable. This could involve speeding up response times or ensuring that your dog can perform the desired behavior under pressure or distraction.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Now, to the most critical part of this clicker training for dogs guide—learning what not to do. Clicker training is all about precision and timing, and most people who struggle with using clickers effectively essentially get these two things wrong, in one way or the other. To make sure that doesn’t happen to you, steer clear of these common mistakes in clicker training:

1. Clicking at the wrong time

A rookie mistake and all too common. Bad timing when using the clicker to reinforce a behavior can confuse your pet about what is expected of them.

How to avoid

Donaldson advises, “The click must happen at the exact instant the behavior occurs. A delay can lead to reinforcing the wrong action.” You must make it a habit to always click the moment the desired behavior occurs. Practice your timing without the pet at first to master precision. 

2. Overusing the clicker

Clicking too frequently or for behaviors that don’t need reinforcement anymore can cause your pet to lose interest in the click sound.

How to avoid

McConnell explains, “The clicker is a tool for teaching, not a permanent crutch. Fade it out as behaviors become solid.” So, once your pet has mastered a behavior, phase out the clicks. And use them for teaching new actions, behaviors, or commands. 

3. Failing to pair the click with a reward

Clicker training for dogs hinges on the association between the click and a reward. If you forget to follow up the click with a treat or praise, the click sound loses its effectiveness. 

How to avoid

Pryor says, “The clicker is a promise of a reward. Breaking that promise weakens the training.” If you want to optimize the effectiveness of clicker training, always offer a reward after a click. Over time, you can switch to intermittent reinforcement, but in the beginning, consistency is key. 

4. Not breaking down complex behaviors

Trying to teach a complex behavior all at once can overwhelm your pet, leaving them confused, frustrated, or both. Your pet may even struggle to make sense of what’s expected of them. 

How to avoid

In teaching your dog complex behaviors, shaping is key. Donaldson advises, “Shaping is crucial. Complex behaviors need to be broken down so that the animal experiences success at every stage.” You need to break down complex behaviors into smaller, achievable steps, rewarding each step along the way, until your pet masters the complete behavior. 

5. Training for too long

Long training sessions can leave your pet feeling bored and frustrated, making them uninterested in training. This is especially true for puppies but also applies to adult dogs. 

How to avoid

Divide the training into short, engaging sessions of 5 to 10 minutes each, and end on a positive note. Dunbar explains, “Frequent, brief training sessions are far more effective. Quit while your pet is still eager to learn.”

Suggested Reading: Dog Potty Training 101: Easy, Breezy Ways to House Train Your Pet

FAQs 

1. Can clicker training be used for all dogs?

Yes, clicker training can be used for all dogs, regardless of age, breed, or temperament. It’s a positive reinforcement method that uses the sound of a click to mark good behavior, making it easy for dogs to understand what’s being rewarded. Whether you’re teaching basic commands or correcting unwanted behaviors, clicker training works because it’s clear and consistent—plus, dogs love learning this way!

Takeaway

So, do dog training clickers work? Why, yes they do! In fact, when used right, a clicker can be your most potent tool when trying to train a dog. I hope this detailed guide on clicker training for dogs helps you get the basics right—or fine-tune your approach—and make great strides in raising a well-trained, well-adjusted furry baby. Good luck!