A clicker is a small hand-held plastic box which has a small opening to fit your thumb in.  Your thumb presses a metal strip.  When pressed and released it makes a click sound.  We teach and create a positive association and connection between the click and a treat.  The dog hears the click, they know they got it right and they are getting a treat and the exercise is over.  It means 'click' you won, now collect your reward.

The clicker along with the treats are only a temporary ‘tools’ to create a behaviour.  Much like a carpenter who uses a hammer and nails to build a table, once the table is built the carpenter no longer needs the tools.

The dog learns quickly learns that ‘click’ means treat.  The click is precise in pointing out to the dog what it was that they did right.  More so than a verbal reward is along with a treat.  We use the clicker to show ‘click’ that’s what I like.  It speeds up the learning process by eliminating the need for the dog to try and sift through the other behaviours they may have shown us in the time it takes to say ‘good dog’ and then give the treat.  You see, when we teach the dog what the clicker meant we taught them that ‘click’ means …treat and the exercise is over…they got it right with one simple click—a one second act.  If you were to say ‘good dog’ and give the treat it would take about 3-5 second.  BINGO you have just rewarded the dog, who is anticipating a great treat,  for jumping around being excitable, moving out of position.  So one simple click means much more to the dogs, it reinforces the behaviour quick and more efficiently than verbally.  Dogs live in the moment.  Rewards must be immediate to make any connection.  

©2003 LEADER OF THE PACK Touch-free Dog Training

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