DogPlay Logo, Dog on a teeter

Behavior and Training

Activities   Articles   Behavior   Breeding   Getting A Dog   Shops   Site Map

Dog Lover Designs on Sweatshirts, T-shirts, Stickers and More

   Clicker Training

The essence of clicker training is that the dog is guided, not forced, into the desired behavior. Many dogs enjoy puzzling things out, and really like this form of training. It takes a lot of patience, but is entirely non-confrontational. If you learn and understand clicker training you will not only be more effective in training dogs, but you will probably also improve your people handling skills. There is a publication called the Clicker Journalthat further develops these concepts (by a variety of authors).

There are two things I really like about what happens when people learn to clicker train. First, they learn to pay more attention to their dog. I don't mean in terms of time spent with the dog. I mean in terms of actually noticing things about the dog. What does the dog like, what does the dog not like. Too often we ignore what the dog is telling us and keep on doing things based on what we think the dog should or shouldn't like, or what some other dog liked or didn't like.

The second good thing that happens is that a person really understands that when something happens matters. To clearly communicate with your dog your response must happen very soon after the behavior. And that doesn't mean after the behavior is completed. It means as soon as you recognize that the behavior is occurring or even better is about to occur.

And again this involves paying attention to your dog. There is probably no single thing that will most improve how you relate to your dog than learning to pay attention to what your dog's responses are telling you.

I think that one of the ways to start click training is not in training the pet, but in playing a game among humans -- You Don't Say! -- where the goal is to get another player to do something specific like turn a toy car upside down without saying a word. You Don't Say - (teaching and training game)
You Don't Say - (teaching and training game)

 

Dog Owners Guide - Click and Treat Review
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/clktrt.html

A simple description of the click and treat training technique.

Clicker Solutions Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.clickersolutions.com/faq.htm

Frequently asked questions about the clicker discussion group and about clicker training

The Training Game
http://www.writedog.com/articles.html#traininggame

A nice article to introduce the concept of clicker training - using people as the subject

Training program - Training Levels
http://www.sue-eh.ca/page24/

An organized training plan toward the basics of acceptable behavior and learning readiness . by Sue Ailsby

 
Clicker Train.com
http://www.clickertrain.com/whatis.html

Another explanation of clicker training, and its relationship to operant conditioning.

 
Click and Treat: Dog Fancy Columns from "On Good Behavior"
http://www.clickandtreat.com/page5.htm

The home page of Gary Wilkes author of "Click and Treat" I've started you on the page listing articles from the authors Columns appearing in Dog Fancy magazine "On Good Behavior"

Clicker Train USA
http://www.clickertrainusa.com/

  Articles, Clicker Agility, Recommended Books, Training Videos, Equipment, Trainer Index

Books and Videos

Getting Started Clicker Training for Dogs Kit

Take a Bow Wow! 

One of my favorite "getting started" clicker videos. The explanations are clear and the action is varied so it isn't just a "talking heads" video. Also see The How of Bow Wow DVD

 

Popular Dogs: Clicker Training
by Dog Fancy Magazine, Editors

 

Clicker Workbook: A Beginner's Guide
by Deb Jones

 

Click to Calm    
by Emma Parsons

 

Chicken Clicker Training DVD

Clicker training works on any animal that can choose behavior. Behavior that is rewarding gets repeated.

More Clicker Training Books and Videos from Dogwise

 


Reaching the Animal Mind
  

Click to Calm
 

 


Obedience links list Obedience Links Page

Toys for Bored Dogs

Additional articles on dog training and dog behavior related topics.

Dog Training and Behavior Books and Videos from Dogwise


DogPlay Home Page  DogPlay Home Page Lost? PageList lists all the DogPlay pages.
Check the Help page. Help
Learn more About DogPlay.
Before making a link request, check my criteria.

Cool Dog Lover Gifts Customize and Personalize fun dog t-shirts and buttons to make it just for you or your favorite dog lover.

                 

Xylitol risk to your dog
Unexpected electric danger to your dog on the street

DogPlay Shops Mall Custom therapy shirts, buttons, stickers and other dog lover gifts: DogPlay Shops

The Truth About Dogs Series

Copyright © 1998-2009, Diane Blackman
Created: May 11, 1998     Updated Novemeber 21, 2010

Help with Contacting DogPlay  
For information on linking and other uses of this material see the copyright page.
Disclaimer and Privacy Policy
Unauthorized copy discovery is enabled
  Help        About                   Partners        Listing      Home