# What do you think of clicker training?



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

I'm still on the fence about it. Our trainer is a big big big big big advocate for clicker training. I've noticed Bear seems to get cues faster with the clicker (ie drop it, go to the mat, nose-to-hand). 

The biggest grrrr I have with it is my hands are too full most of the time with the clicker and the treats, etc. sometimes I click for nothing or forget to click, etc. overall I would encourage you to try it for a month consistently and see how you feel about it. 


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## Dwyllis (Nov 22, 2012)

I'm a big fan. Am using it with great success with my GR pup. Learnt the basic sit & down within two days using clicker & treats. Learnt stay within the first week, & very quickly learnt Leave it & touch, & to offer his paw. As soon as he sees me pick up the clicker, he immediately goes into a sit or down position, waiting for training ....he knows good things are coming his way & its a real time of bonding. Clicker training is easy. My trainer doesn't use the clicker, but she says its great. And once the puppy has mastered. A command, you no longer have to click & treat for it. You just use praise. My husband was very against using this method. He said it was ridiculous to be carrying a clicker & treats everywhere, but he has seen how quickly Loki is being trained & is impressed.


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## ricksmith (Nov 26, 2012)

Dwyllis said:


> I'm a big fan. Am using it with great success with my GR pup. Learnt the basic sit & down within two days using clicker & treats. Learnt stay within the first week, & very quickly learnt Leave it & touch, & to offer his paw. As soon as he sees me pick up the clicker, he immediately goes into a sit or down position, waiting for training ....he knows good things are coming his way & its a real time of bonding. Clicker training is easy. My trainer doesn't use the clicker, but she says its great. And once the puppy has mastered. A command, you no longer have to click & treat for it. You just use praise. My husband was very against using this method. He said it was ridiculous to be carrying a clicker & treats everywhere, but he has seen how quickly Loki is being trained & is impressed.


Thanks for the info. Few questions:

1. What advantage does the clicker have over simply praising the dog, saying "Good dog!" and giving him a treat when he does the behavior correctly?

2. If you use the clicker how do you correct bad behavior? How does the dog know that 'No" means no?


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I've always used clicker training and I love it. I can teach my dogs anything very quickly with the clicker. I understand what Brave said about your hands being full and not clicking on time, we all went through that in the beginning but it really does become second nature. I don't even have to think about clicking now, it's just kind of automatic.
Give it a try, I think you'll like it.


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## Millie'sMom (Sep 7, 2012)

Our trainer uses a modified version of clicker training. Instead of a clicker it is the word "yes". I believe, her reasoning is you always have your voice, and do not have to remember a clicker or have a free hand. It has worked vert well with my puppies. Our trainer bases her training on the 3rd way dog training method.

Chris Bach's THE THIRD WAY


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## Shalva (Jul 16, 2008)

I started all my dogs on clicker... and then moved to simply using the word "yes" it is fast and easy to say... it marks the behavior so I no longer need the clicker... that having been said my dogs understand that when i take the clicker out they are learning something new... vs. just practicing what they already know. My dogs that are competing for their CDX right now have all been "clicker" trained to an extent... 

that having been said I do not have any problem with a FIRM NO or EHHH EHHH to let them know when they are doing something wrong... the most important thing about training in my mind is that so many people are quick to tell their dogs what they can't do but then forget to tell them what they can do... 

i don't subscribe to any one ideology when it comes to training... clicker is great for puppies and then once they mature I reach into my bag of tricks and come up with what is best for that istuation at that time with that dog


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## Millie'sMom (Sep 7, 2012)

ricksmith said:


> Thanks for the info. Few questions:
> 
> 1. What advantage does the clicker have over simply praising the dog, saying "Good dog!" and giving him a treat when he does the behavior correctly?
> 
> 2. If you use the clicker how do you correct bad behavior? How does the dog know that 'No" means no?


My understanding is, that you can click quicker and more accurately mark what the dog did right. When starting clicker training, you condition the dog to understand that when they hear the click they can expect "something"good, usually a treat in the beginning. 

We don't use tradition clicker training, we use the word yes, if the dog does not do what you are asking for you ignore the behaviour and do not treat. i usually walk the puppy around in a circle and try again, if successful, click (say yes) and treat. If the puppy does not get it after 2 or 3 tries, I break the skill down into smaller parts.


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## ncpistol (Jul 20, 2012)

I am trying to train my 3 month old golden, Riley. I ran into a lady today and she showed me how well the clicker works. After digging in her purse for a while she came up with it and it did work, however the commands didn't work without it. Ill follow this post more before I run out and get one.


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## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

I love the clicker too. My pup has learned so much because of the clicker. At first it is a little weird but you do get used to it. Check out Kiko pup on YouTube she has amazing videos that taught me so much


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

ricksmith said:


> Thanks for the info. Few questions:
> 
> 1. What advantage does the clicker have over simply praising the dog, saying "Good dog!" and giving him a treat when he does the behavior correctly?
> 
> 2. If you use the clicker how do you correct bad behavior? How does the dog know that 'No" means no?


The way our trainer taught it, the click can pin point the exact behavior your training. For instance, when we're training Bear to touch our outstretched hand with his nose (versus his teeth :bowl: or worse - jumping on us), w/o the clicker Bear wouldn't be able to figure out if his treat came for standing, for sitting, for smelling, for licking, for looking at us, for touching us with his nose, etc. With the clicker, as soon as his nose touched my hand, Click! 

My trainer is 100% against the word "no". I'm 50% in aggrement with her. However, Bear knows "no" means don't do that. He's been taught "no bite" (though sometimes I can't get through his land shark feeding frenzy). When I tell Bear "no", I immediately follow it with a command so I can praise his good behavior. 

The trainer see clicker training as a way to classically condition the dog. action = treat. Since the dog is extremely intelligent, with enough training (and often refresher courses) the dog will create a list of rewarding behavior - sitting, lying down, being calm, walking nicely, etc - and a list of non-rewarding behaviors (barking, jumping, biting, etc). If list A = treat and list B = nothing; the dog will begin choosing to give you actions from list A.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I like the concept, but not the clicker. 

We just go straight to using the "yes" word instead of bothering with a clicker.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

ricksmith said:


> Thanks for the info. Few questions:
> 
> 1. What advantage does the clicker have over simply praising the dog, saying "Good dog!" and giving him a treat when he does the behavior correctly?
> 
> ...


If 'bad' behavior during training sessions means not giving the response you want, you don't click. If you have 'powered up' your clicker, meaning the dog fully understands what the click means, when he doesn't get a click for the behavior his is performing, then he knows it is wrong, and can try again. You can also train a 'no reward' marker - I use 'try again', when the behavior offered is not the one I want.

I don't use 'no' - 'No' gives no information, it does not tell or show the dog what you want him TO do.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Although there are some things I use a clicker for, clicker training is one of my least favorite methods of training. It is a very sterile, scientific method meant to minimize the role of the person. I LIKE being a part of the training, having my hands on my dog during the process. The main reason I train my dog is for the bonding, and I don't feel the same bonding in clicker training.

Not to mention my youngest gets very frustrated if he can't figure out what I want him to quickly enough. He never gives up, but doesn't enjoy it like he does our other training. He'd much rather me just show him what to do than make him figure it out


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## Cari (Sep 19, 2012)

The clicker is positive only and I LOVE it. I swear Yukon, my dog, speaks "clicker" He's is a genius with it!


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

The clicker is faster than saying the word, "yes". Since golden #3, all have been clicker trained in this household... However, I do use negative words, etc..


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Loisiana said:


> Although there are some things I use a clicker for, clicker training is one of my least favorite methods of training. It is a very sterile, scientific method meant to minimize the role of the person. I LIKE being a part of the training, having my hands on my dog during the process. The main reason I train my dog is for the bonding, and I don't feel the same bonding in clicker training.
> 
> Not to mention my youngest gets very frustrated if he can't figure out what I want him to quickly enough. He never gives up, but doesn't enjoy it like he does our other training. He'd much rather me just show him what to do than make him figure it out


I do think you can do both.. the clicker is just a marker. How you train your dog to get to do what you want is up to you. Depending on what I am trying to teach I can be very hands on with Molly and the clicker helps her get it very quickly. It is just a way for me to mark what I want because my timing is not good when I say "yes".


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Vhuynh2 said:


> I do think you can do both.. the clicker is just a marker. How you train your dog to get to do what you want is up to you. Depending on what I am trying to teach I can be very hands on with Molly and the clicker helps her get it very quickly. It is just a way for me to mark what I want because my timing is not good when I say "yes".


Yeah but that's not technically considered "clicker training". That's training using a clicker. Sounds similar but a huge difference. You would never touch your dog in clicker training.


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## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

A friend is getting a Lab from a breeder near Memphis. His wife was showing me the video on an 8 week training class they offer for the pups. One of the trainers has his clicker attached by a short string to the bottom of the treat bag - the motion was very smooth, click and move up to get the treat all the same motion. I plan to try that.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Loisiana said:


> Yeah but that's not technically considered "clicker training". That's training using a clicker. Sounds similar but a huge difference. You would never touch your dog in clicker training.


Sorry, I only glanced at the first part of the your previous post and thought I had read you did not like clickers at all.

I like using the clicker as a marker, it really helps Molly learn new concepts faster. But I do need to put my hands on her sometimes.. and I do use a negative sound.


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## LilBitBit (Jan 15, 2012)

I've started integrating clicker into training as we're working on harder concepts for my boys (they're having a little difficulty keeping a good heel) and it's working wonders. My reason is similar to another that was mentioned, I'm utilizing it to work in segments on getting a good heel (turn around, walk towards, come to side, etc.)


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## Almighty Zeus (Nov 17, 2012)

I started clicker training with Zeus today and at 7 weeks old he's already learned sit in 1 day (on occasion he will get distracted but majority of the time he gets it instantly). So far no complaints but this early into training we'll just have to wait and see. I'll work on sit and down tomorrow.


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## Shalva (Jul 16, 2008)

I also find that the clicker itself means something to the dogs and they understand its purpose so when we are practicing I use the word yes but when they see the physical clicker that is a whole different thing to them and they seem to know to try things over and over and think of new things...


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

Casper learns really quickly with clicker training. This is both a blessing and a curse. The reason is because he's so willing to offer new behaviors. Sometimes his "offerings" are less than optimal. How about I sit? or down? or backup? or jump on you? or the couch? or grab the leash? or roll over? or pick up my toy? or go to my bed? or dig a hole? grab a kleenex? There is an element of luring allowed, but sometimes he's just all over the place.


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