Clicker Training: Introducing Commands




Photos courtesy Hannah Harris
This dog is being trained, or shaped, to jump through
a hoop.

The clicker is not inherently meaningful to the dog. Like Pavlov's bell, the dog must learn that it means, "Treats are coming!" via classical conditioning. To do this, trainers "charge" the clicker by repeatedly clicking and then immediately offering a treat. In this way, the dog learns to pair the clicker with the treat. Once the dog knows that a click means a treat, it is ready to start learning new behaviors.

Trainers vary in their methods of eliciting a behavior. Some advocate using food to lure the dog into position. Others simply wait for the dog to offer the behavior simultaneously. Most clicker trainers do not advocate physically pushing the dog into position, as that is counter to the force-free philosophy of clicker training.

Once the dog offers the behavior, timing is critical. The trainer must click at the exact moment that he sees the behavior he wants. If the dog lies down and then rolls over before the handler clicks, rolling over has been marked as the desired behavior, not lying down.

Dogs can learn complicated behavior patterns using clicker training if you teach the sequence gradually. For example, if you wanted to train your dog to jump through a hoop, you might initially click and treat the dog just for walking up to the hoop. Once the dog is reliably walking up to the hoop, you would click only when it stuck its head through the opening, and then only when it walked through. Finally, you would click only when the dog actually jumped through the hoop. The standard for what will earn a reward keeps getting higher as the dog learns each new step. This is shaping.

Rather than giving a command and then teaching the dog what it means, most clicker trainers prefer to introduce the command only after the dog is reliably offering the behavior. Luring motions (such as holding a treat and moving it in front of the dog's nose, then to the ground to teach a dog "down") can be adapted into hand signals for commands by stylizing the motion and eliminating the food lure. Many trainers feel hand signals are easier for dogs to learn that verbal signals anyway, but having a dog that responds to either is ideal. Once a dog is offering the desired behavior, the handler can begin using the command so that the dog learns to associate the two. Eventually, the handler will only click the behavior if it was requested with a command, not when it's offered spontaneously.


Photo courtesy Hannah Harris
This dog has learned the hand signal for "high five."

It's important to remember that animals are contextual learners. That means that they may understand a command in one place but not another. A dog may be able to sit flawlessly when the handler is standing, but become very confused when the handler gives the command from a sitting position. When training a new command, handlers need to add new contexts, backing up when necessary, to help the dog generalize.

Next, we'll look at how to use clicker training to get your dog to stop certain behaviors.

Interview with Dan O'Leary, clicker trainer at PetSmart in Lexington, KY
  • When and how did you get into training dogs?
    Although I have had dogs since I was a child, I never truly trained one until 1979, when I got my first German Shepherd. After all, Shepherds were police dogs, or dogs like Rin Tin Tin, or Bullet (Roy Rogers' dog), so of course, they should be trained. So I signed up for a training class.

  • Have you ever worked training other species of animals?
    Not until recently. I am currently training our 6 month-old kitten, using the basic principles of clicker training, to fetch and high-five.

  • Did you always use clicker training?
    No.

  • What other methods did you use?
    When I first began, no one was clicker-training dogs. I began with "traditional" training, using choke chains, prong collars and leash corrections.

  • What would you say is the biggest advantage to clicker training?
    • ...for the people?
      Many people would rather not have to use leash corrections and choke chains. Clicker training provides an alternative. Also, since clicker training does not require using physical force, a child or an older person can still train a big, strong dog.

    • ...for the dogs?
      Dogs who are trained with traditional methods are essentially punished, usually with a leash correction, every time the make a mistake. This can cause them to "shut down" when they are uncertain of what to do. Since doing the wrong thing brings punishment, the dog does nothing. Clicker trained dogs, on the other hand, will experiment, trying different things in the hope that they will find the behavior that brings a reward. They are more engaged on the training process.

  • Are there any disadvantages?
    I don't believe there are any disadvantages for the dog. For the people, it seems to be harder to grasp the idea that a dog can be trained using primarily rewards rather than primarily punishment.

  • What is the hardest thing for people to master?
    Good timing and consistency.

  • What usually brings people to your classes?
    Typically people take a class because they have a behavioral problem they want to solve. Usually, it's common things, like housebreaking, destructive behavior, nipping, jumping, etc. Sometimes people have more serious problems, such as separation anxiety, aggression, or fear problems. Some of these problems can be addressed in a class situation and some may require private lessons.

  • Are there some breeds or temperaments of dogs that do better with this kind of training than others?
    All breeds of dogs are trainable. What is easy and what is hard to train can vary greatly according to what the dog was bred to do. If a dog simply doesn't sit very often, it will take longer to teach Sit than to a dog who sits frequently. I believe it's about clear communication with the dog and discovering what is most motivating to the individual dog.

  • What do you wish people knew about clicker training?
    Clicker training is effective, easy, and fun, for both the owner and the dog. And even children can be wonderful clicker trainers. Clicker training is dog-friendly and never involves harsh punishment or force. Dogs enjoy the mental stimulation of clicker training, and clicker training helps the whole family enjoy their dog because it strengthens communication and bonding.

  • Other thoughts or comments?
    More dogs are euthanized each year for solvable behavior problems. Training dogs saves lives.