shadow        

Getting Tired of Smelly Carpets?
Housetraining
Help Is Here

>> Learn More

The Ultimate House Training Guide

Subscribe
Follow us on RSS,
Twitter and Facebook

 

If You Are a
Stay-At-Home-Mom or Anyone Who Just Needs Extra Income...

What Better Way Than Being Able to Work From Home?

You Can Build a Website Like This and Earn Income with Your Passion and Hobbies...

Here's How I Did It, And You Can Too...

 

 

Only Natural Pet Store

 

 

10% Monthly Coupon Code Banner

 

 

Site Build It!

 

 
 

How To Deal With Dog Behavior Problems and Obedience Training

What is Clicker Dog Training?

Use Clicker Training to Train Your Australian Shepherd With Positive Reinforcement

Aussie Expert - Guest Australian Shepherd Expert Article  
 

By Lynn Whinery, Bonza Canine Education
Lynn provides clicker training classes in the Imperial Beach or San Diego county area and is a full member of APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers).

     

Clicker training is a style of training based on the work of B. F. Skinner, Bob and Marian Bailey, and Karen Pryor. Karen Pryor coined the phrase ‘clicker training’ when she was working with dolphins in the 60s (as chronicled in her excellent book, Lads Before the Wind). In clicker training a sound, usually a clicker, is used to mark a desired event. Thus the sound of the clicker is called an ‘event marker’. The click is always followed by a treat, so that the animal associates the event with something rewarding. (This is a form of Operant Conditioning.) Research has shown that rewarded (reinforced) behaviors are likely to increase.

  Train Your Dog With Clickertraining
   

The click can instantly
communicate to the dog
that it has done
something desirable.

A classic example is that of teaching the sit. Each time the dog sits he gets a click, followed by a treat. The dog will sit more and more often.

Clicker dog training is an ideal way to communicate with your dog. A partnership is created between you and your dog based on love and respect. The click is a neutral tone (neither cheerful nor angry, unlike the human voice), and will only be associated with good things. The click can instantly communicate to the dog that it has done something desirable.

Clicker Dog Training Uses Operant Conditioning Principles

Reinforcement, Punishment, Extinction, and Aversives

These are terms used in Operant Conditioning. Reinforcement and Punishment can be divided into four categories.

It is imperative to remember that + and – are mathematical terms, not moral judgments!

  • Positive reinforcement (R+): This is where something is added in order to increase a behavior. Ex: you give your dog a treat to reinforce the sit.
     
  • Negative reinforcement (R-): Something is removed in order to increase a behavior. Ex: you stop pinching the dog’s ear when it opens its mouth to take a dumb bell. (NOT approved of in clicker dog training!)
     
  • Positive punishment (P+): Something is added to decrease a behavior. Ex: hitting a dog to get it to stop jumping up. (NOT an approved training technique!)
     
  • Negative punishment (P-): Something is removed to decrease a behavior. Ex: walking away when your dog jumps up on you, thus removing the attention he desires. This is far more desirable than positive punishment, but still must be used carefully.
     
  • Extinction: Weakening a behavior by not reinforcing it. Instead of petting your dog when he jumps on you, you walk away (P-). Eventually the dog will stop jumping on you (extinction).
     
  • Aversives: Aversives are something an animal will work to avoid. Ex: collar pops, shocks from an electric collar, hitting, yelling, shaking the dog by the scruff, ‘alpha rolls’. None of these are acceptable forms of training in the field of clicker dog training. (Technically P- is a form of aversive, because something the dog wants has been taken away. However, P- used sparingly and judiciously, can be effective.)

Clicker Dog Training Basics: Charging the Clicker

Karen Pryor Clicker Training - i-Click Clicker  

i-Click Clicker
Revolutionary in design and function the new i-Click was designed by the clicker trainers at Karen Pryor Clicker Training to provide the next generation tool for clicker training.
> More Info

 
   

The key to clicker dog training is helping your dog associate the sound of the clicker with something rewarding. These associations can be very powerful. (Ex: Someone walks past smelling of rose perfume. You are immediately transported back to childhood and visits to Gramma’s house, because she used rose perfume. Not just memories, but the emotions that go with them come flooding back.)

The easiest way to do this is to just start clicking. With the clicker in your hand, put your hand in a pocket or behind your back. This way the sound shouldn’t startle the dog. Click, and give your dog a delicious, pea sized treat. Keep doing this, moving your clicker hand to different positions. (This way the dog doesn’t just associate rewards with the sound coming from a particular location.) After about 15-20 clicks (it varies from dog to dog), the dog will perk up when it hears the click, and start looking around for the treat. Hooray! The dog has now made the association.

If your dog is afraid of the sound of the clicker you can soften the tone by putting layers of tape across the dimple on the clicker. Gradually remove the tape, one layer at a time, so the dog can adjust to the tone.

No, you don’t have to spend the rest of your life carrying around a clicker and a bag of treats. Once the dog has figured out the desired behavior, and is performing it reliably, you gradually start weaning off the clicker. Every click is STILL followed by a treat, you just click less often, slowly decreasing the frequency until you aren’t clicking at all. (If you think about it, you don’t need to have someone come over and cheer every time you write your name legibly. The reinforcement was valuable when you were learning it, but once you’ve mastered the skill it’s no longer necessary.)

NOTE: Remember to praise your dog! Clicking and treating (C/T) doesn’t mean we refrain from verbal praise.

Clicker Dog Training Tips

If your dog isn’t interested in the treats there could be several reasons.

  • Your training area is too distracting. Make sure you’re in a quiet location, such as a room with no T.V. blaring, kids playing, etc. (The bath room is ideal!)
     
  • Your dog isn’t hungry. Schedule your training sessions a few hours before or after mealtime, when the stomach is empty.
     
  • Your treats aren’t appealing. Be sure you’re using a treat the dog likes. Different dogs are motivated by different foods. Try Cheerios, hot dogs, diced meat, diced cheese, a premium kibble other than his usual food, premium cat food (as an occasional treat), anything that excites your dog!

More Clicker Dog Training Tips

If your dog is too enthusiastic about taking treats from your hand, don’t despair.

  • With young dogs, say ‘yikes’ or ‘ouch’, in a high pitched tone (so you sound like a puppy), and then pull your hand away. Then go away for a minute or so.
     
  • Another trick is to make a fist around the treat. As long as the dog chews at your hand, it doesn’t get the treat. Once it stops and backs up, open your hand and let the dog have the treat. If your dog is a real shark, you can wear a glove during the process.
     
  • Lastly, try giving the treats from a metal spoon. Dogs don’t like the feeling of biting metal. With each treat, move your hand closer to the bowl of the spoon, until your fingers are on the bowl. Then switch to using your hand.

Stay tuned for more clicker dog training articles.

For clicker dog training classes in Imperial Beach or San Diego county area contact Lynn Whinery at Bonza Canine Education.

Getting the Most Out of Clicker Dog Training

  Clicker Dog Training
 

Morten Egtvedt & Cecilie Koeste

   

Morten Egtvedt and Cecilie Koeste, the married training team from Norway, are members of Karen Pryors ClickerExpo faculty. Morten and Cecilie were early adopters of clicker training and are Scandinavia's leading authors on this technology.

If you want to get the most out of clicker training you should study their bestselling dog training book: Clickertraining: The 4 Secrets of Becoming a Supertrainer.

This book was first published in their homeland, Norway. It became a great success and was soon translated and published in Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

Today the book has sold more than 45,000 hard copies and has become the #1 Clicker Training Resource in Nordic countries (and believe me, Norway and Sweden are known for having some of the best dog trainers in the world!).

After many requests the book is now finally available in English. And best of all - you can download it to your computer right now!! In 5 minutes you can be on your way to becoming a supertrainer!

You can visit Morten & Cecilie's website for more info.

TOP of Clicker Dog Training

> Return to Aussie Training
> Return to Home

 
5 Dog Training Myths  

FREE GIFT
For Our Newsletter Subscribers

5 Dog Training Myths
By Daniel Stevens

Get Valuable Info About Australian Shepherds, Important Site Updates and Instant Access to 5 Dog Training Myths
Subscribe Here

 
 
Nuddle Blanket

Cuddling With Your Aussie Has Never Been More Comfortable...

Nuddle Blanket
Nuddle Blanket Midnight

   
   

Search This Website...

How To Deal With Dog Behavior Problems and Obedience Training

 

Free
Australian
Shepherd
Lovers
Newsletter

-- WOOF!  
Email

Name

Then

Your e-mail address is totally secure. I promise to use it only to send you the newsletter and will NEVER share it with any third party. You can also easily unsubscribe anytime.
 

 

 

 
Dove Cresswell's Puppy and Dog Training Online

 

 
How To Become a Dog Trainer