Dog Clicker Training

Clicker training can either be an expansion or a replacement for regular dog training practices. Experts in dog training claim that by establishing behavior patterns through clicker training will take a lot less time than that taken up with conventional dog training. A clicker is like a plastic box device, with a metal strap, when pressed will emit a "click" sound.

The function of the clicker is initially to act as a secondary command to voice command. When the dog performs a voice command successfully, he is rewarded by a tidbit and a click. Eventually the dog will begin to associate the click with praise for successful accomplishments, and the handing out of tidbits can be gradually phased out. This can make for shorter and more productive training sessions, as there is less time involved in doling out prizes and more spent in instilling the messages of what is expected of the dog in training and after.

The main advantage of the use of a clicker in training experts say that the dog may not always recognize intonations of praise in a human voice, however they will always recognize a click as a positive response.

Clicks can be used to signal a desired action in a dog, because after a short while they will be to expect which actions you expect them to perform according to the scenario they find themselves, If you are standing a long way from them, they will expect you to click if you want them to come running to you for example.

The key is in the timing, clicking too early or too late diminish the effectiveness of the training sessions.

Now that you have succeeded in making your dog understand that when he hears the clicker, he is being rewarded them the sky is the limit or at least your dog's level intelligence is the limit. This method of training is widely used in training show dogs, and enthusiastic owners can even introduce a series of signals when they are setting their dog through its paces, sometimes as well as the clicker and sometimes instead of.

Once the clicker has been established as the basis of your training program, you will find that the dog's reactions to clicking can be very interesting. You will find that the dog will expect to be clicked in certain situations and will even become distressed if they are not "clicked", this is a practice that should not be generally used, except as an indication that your training methods are beginning to have their effect, and the dog is ready to its proper place in society.

Clicker training is becoming popular as a training method, however it only one of many alternatives/ There are those that claim that it has its disadvantages, and should only be used as a secondary behavior reward in order to improve the effectiveness of training your dog. Beginners to dig training are invited to study the many practical methods available through clicker training.