# Why do dogs like the clicker sound?



## maggiesmommy (Feb 23, 2010)

I'm no expert, but, my guess would be association...for the first few weeks that you start clicker training, you just click-treat, click-treat, click-treat....I clicker potty trained Maggie...IMO it is the easiest way to train...I've used it with tigers, monkeys, lionesses, bobcats, and rats with great success.


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

A clicker sound is what's called a "conditioned reinforcer". An unconditioned reinforcer like chicken cheese, or treats is paired in the dogs mind with the very distinctive clicker sound. The click becomes a solemn promise of a treat, and also rewarding by association as said in the post above. The beauty of the clicker is that it is so precise. It takes too long to fumble in your bait bag to find a treat, but the click sound is instantaneus in marking a desired behavior. Clicker trained dogs are joyful learnerd in the sense that they are actually creative; they will offer behaviors like a hypothosis to see which one is eleciting the click they so desire.


----------



## Nicole74 (May 30, 2009)

I see! Neat! I will have to order one and get them conditioned to the clicker. I'm trick training Annie, which is easy due to the breed. She learns quickly, but sometimes focuses on my hand with the yummy treat.


----------



## Cathy's Gunner (Dec 4, 2008)

I don't use one that often. However, when I do use one it works great for recall. If he is outside at night towards the back of the yard I don't want to yell for him and disturb my neighbors. I click it twice and he comes flying to the door. I also take it when we are in a field or at the lake when he is off leash. I would say 98% of the time he comes when I click it. I'm working on him to be 100%. Always have a yummy treat! You can get a clicker at most pet stores.


----------



## maggiesmommy (Feb 23, 2010)

I want to add that, for it to work, use a high value treat they go crazy for...chicken, cheese, peanut butter, etc...milkbones and kibble just don't work as well. We used chicken cubes...Maggie would do backflips if it meant chicken was involved.


----------



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

cathyjobray said:


> I don't use one that often. However, when I do use one it works great for recall. If he is outside at night towards the back of the yard I don't want to yell for him and disturb my neighbors. I click it twice and he comes flying to the door. I also take it when we are in a field or at the lake when he is off leash. I would say 98% of the time he comes when I click it. I'm working on him to be 100%. Always have a yummy treat! You can get a clicker at most pet stores.



This would be using the click as a cue (like a whistle or "come" or "Here"), not as a marker as in "clicker training". I want to make this distinction.

I do not encourage students to do the above, because we use the clicker to teach new behaviors. 

Animals like the click sound because it is always followed by food. I do not "charge the clicker." But if you so desire...all it takes is 3-4 one minute sessions. Weeks is not necessary.


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Clickers provide reward precision, and that precision makes them very powerful. LJilly did a great job of explaining that. They help the dog associate the reward with the exact behavior that created it. If you say "sit," and when the dog does, you say "good boy" and give a treat, that's powerful. The dog associates the action with the reward.

If you say "sit," and the instant the dog's butt hits the floor, the clicker makes its distinctive sound, the reward is paired with the exact moment of compliance. Because you're more precisely reinforcing that instant, you're being clearer with the dog about what produced the reward and your reward is more powerful because you've removed the delay between behavior and reinforcement.

You can accomplish something very similar by pairing a short, unique vocal sound with the moment of success. "Yes!" is a great one. I've found it's more natural for me personally to say "good" in a particular voice, because I tend to babble at the dog. I can say "good job," or "good boy," but the particular sharp "good" noise is what's the same every time.

I sometimes use the clicker to shape behavior, since it allows you to reward a precise piece at a time (e.g., putting one foot on a scary obstacle for a while, then two feet, then three, etc.). I don't rely on it completely, though, since I like to train the dogs most strongly to my voice and whistle, rather than to the sound of a piece of equipment I may or may not have at the ready at all times when we're out and about.


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

RedDogs said:


> I do not "charge the clicker." But if you so desire...all it takes is 3-4 one minute sessions. Weeks is not necessary.


I've heard this is a very important part of clicker training, but I've also noticed that the dogs learn to respond to it quickly even if you don't spend time "charging." Does anybody know what the downside might be if you skip the "charging" part with a dog who's already used to the clicker and who loves to work?


----------



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

tippykayak said:


> I've heard this is a very important part of clicker training, but I've also noticed that the dogs learn to respond to it quickly even if you don't spend time "charging." Does anybody know what the downside might be if you skip the "charging" part with a dog who's already used to the clicker and who loves to work?


Typically "charging" is recommended for animals new to clicker training so you form the association. I have not heard of people doing that with dogs already used to the clicker.... there really isn't a need to. The dog knows the association.

Per some Bob Bailey posts in various locations, the "charging" to build the association when the dog/animal is getting used to the association, is not really necessary and does not create increased progress. Since reading those posts, I dropped the charging and go right into an activity, typically response to name.

BUT: I am sure the dog is readily eating treats before starting with the clicker. If the dog is hesitant at all..we will wait a while before introducing it.
If I have an owner who is lacking some of the physical dexterity and/or is likely to struggle with the mechanical skills, we may "charge the clicker" so the -owner- learns the pattern of "hold still. Click with no other motion. Then get a treat and feed."

Great questions and I love all the comments on here!


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

RedDogs said:


> Typically "charging" is recommended for animals new to clicker training so you form the association. I have not heard of people doing that with dogs already used to the clicker.... there really isn't a need to. The dog knows the association.
> 
> Per some Bob Bailey posts in various locations, the "charging" to build the association when the dog/animal is getting used to the association, is not really necessary and does not create increased progress. Since reading those posts, I dropped the charging and go right into an activity, typically response to name.
> 
> ...


That makes sense to me. I've repeatedly heard advice to charge before every session, which doesn't seem necessary. I believe in using reinforcement to help the dog love to work, so it feels strange to me to show the dog that sound=food without any behavioral cue from him.


----------



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Pavlov's dog.


----------



## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

maggiesmommy said:


> I'm no expert, but, my guess would be association...for the first few weeks that you start clicker training, you just click-treat, click-treat, click-treat....I clicker potty trained Maggie...IMO it is the easiest way to train...I've used it with tigers, monkeys, lionesses, bobcats, and rats with great success.


 
I must have missed your previous posts... what do you do for a living?


----------



## AcesWild (Nov 29, 2008)

Rats are super easy to clicker train...Karen Pryor "Reaching the animal mind" A MUST READ for clicker trainers, in it she trains everything from wolves and dolphins to gold fish with the clicker and similar principles.


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I don't recharge the clicker with Tally, but I do use it as a pre- obedience trial warm up. We play"touch" - he touches my palm with his nose in all kinds of funny positions for a click/ treat. It tells him it is time to think&work, and gets him revved up and in the Obedience Zone.


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Ljilly28 said:


> I don't recharge the clicker with Tally, but I do use it as a pre- obedience trial warm up. We play"touch" - he touches my palm with his nose in all kinds of funny positions for a click/ treat. It tells him it is time to think&work, and gets him revved up and in the Obedience Zone.


This makes a lot of sense to me, since it's a click/reward that goes with a task on the dog's part. Very different than just "charging."


----------



## Nicole74 (May 30, 2009)

Thank you everyone for the information! I have a better understanding with the clicker. I love training the dogs. I find it very rewarding!


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

It's actually not that uncommon for a dog to be scared of the clicker sound.


----------



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Loisiana said:


> It's actually not that uncommon for a dog to be scared of the clicker sound.


My Maggie hated the clicking sound, she would snap every time she heard it.


----------

