Training and Behavior

The ideal method to teach using a clicker

admin • 31 Aug 2023

Currently, the clicker for training is used both in the processes of teaching commands and rules for pets, and to train animals that are preparing to participate in competitions in the canine world, such as Canine Freestyle – which consists of presentations of dogs with their masters, with dance combinations and tricks.

Used to precisely give instructions and indicate good behavior, the clicker is fundamental in the training process of many more distracted dogs who, with its help, can capture commands in a simpler and more practical way.

Although many still opt for other products that make noise to help train dogs, the clicker is still the most popular instrument in this regard; since, with its use, the risks of scaring the animals during training or their hearing being damaged by very loud noises are almost zero.

Find out, below, a little more about how it works and the advantages that the clicker for training can bring, and understand why this small and simple instrument can help so much in the learning processes of the most diverse types of animals.

What is a clicker and how does it work?

Made of plastic, the clicker for training is a small rectangular device with a button that, when pressed, produces a “click” sound. Anyone reading this description in isolation might think the tool is too simple to make a difference; however, this product is, today, one of the most used and most efficient for training and teaching dogs (it can also help in the training of other animals, such as cats and even birds).

Used to show the dog some specific factor – which can range from good behavior to the right time to jump or turn in training – the clicker is seen in training processes as a substitute for the voice of the one who teaches, emitting its characteristic sound every time the bearer presses its button.

It is important to emphasize that the use of this tool is indicated for all types of intelligent training that involve rewards, since the main advantage of the clicker is to indicate specifically for which type of behavior the dog is being rewarded - an action that becomes much more complicated through of speech; since it is unlikely that a pet owner who is not a professional trainer will be able to have the exact timing to indicate the correct execution of a specific command.

In a training process for a dog to learn to sit, for example, the clicker must be activated at the exact moment when the pet obeys the proposed command, showing the dog that the “click” noise means that he successfully performed what was asked.

Being attentive to the correct moment in which the animal performed what was commanded is the most important factor for the use of the clicker to be effective, because, if the tool holder activates it after the dog has already obeyed the command, all the effort to teach you can go down the drain.

To exemplify this misconception, we can use the same scenario described earlier, where a person tries to teach a dog to sit. If the command is given and the dog sits, but the clicker is activated only when the dog is starting to stand up, he will understand that the correct thing is for him to stand, as the click sound was heard when he was standing in this position. position, and not when sitting down (right time to press the little button on the device).

Through the use of this technique combined with rewards (which can be caresses or the offering of some snack that the pet likes) the dog comes to understand that when doing what was asked, he will hear that characteristic little noise and, when that happens, it's a sign that a tasty reward is on the way – encouraging him to assimilate rules and to associate the clicker's training clicker with something positive and pleasurable.

For those who choose appetizers as a treat, it is important to remember that the delicacies chosen must be small and easy to eat; since, when receiving foods that are more complicated to chew, the dog may end up diverting its attention from what is proposed in the training, making the process difficult due to very long interruptions.

 How to associate the clicker sound with a reward?

To make the animal understand the clicker noise as the promise of a reward, call its attention when giving the treat or affection and trigger the noise of the tool, giving it the gift right away. This must be done repeatedly until the dog can understand and associate what you want to say and, from that, he will already know that the “click” is something positive, getting excited when hearing the noise during training and facing the search by sound as a challenge to be rewarded.

It is important that when performing this process - also known by many as the act of loading the clicker - the clicks are random and spaced since the only objective in this activity is to make the dog understand that that sound is a synonym of reward. That done, just start putting the training techniques into practice with the tool, because the dog will already know how positive the noise is.

 When the clicker doesn't work

In some very rare cases, dogs can be terrified of any kind of strange or slightly loud sound and, in these situations, the clicker can scare the animal instead of helping it to learn, it will get in the way.

It is always good that the owner of the pet that showed aversion to the tool investigate whether the cause of this is due to the loud noise produced or the sound itself, because, if the first option is correct, just change your clicker for one that does less noise and continue with the training process. In the case of dog phobias to the type of sound, the solution is to find another teaching technique for the animal.

 The advantages of the clicker

In addition to the low price (which normally varies between R$ 15 and R$ 30), the clicker for training brings a series of advantages to those who use it. Its sound can reach up to 15 meters away, and this greatly facilitates training, since the dog will not always be very close when it obeys a command and, with the device, it is possible to mark its good behavior from a distance.

By improving and facilitating communication between man and animal, the clicker can also greatly reduce learning time, allowing more commands, rules, and tricks to be taught to canine pets in a reduced time. In addition, by producing a characteristic and unique sound, the use of the clicker allows the training process to be carried out by anyone in the family; difficult action in other types of training, where the voice of the owner (or of those who apply the teachings) ends up being assimilated as the only means of incentive.

Another great advantage of the clicker is that, after some time of use, it can become the animal's own reward - which already feels present when hearing the sound of the tool - dispensing with snacks and toys so that the learning process can be continuous and without interruptions.

In addition, using the clicker as a reward also solves another very common issue among dogs. Because they are very “interesting”, the techniques involving snacks can cause some dogs to lose concentration in what they are doing when they see food in the owner's hand, disturbing the training. With the clicker, the dog already knows that he will be rewarded in some way later, and this reassures him, making him look for the sound that indicates a prize instead of running after the treats.

Pet owners also benefit from the advantages of the clicker and, in addition to being able to have more behaved and obedient dogs, they also learn to deal with the animal in a different way, without ever using violence or aggression to teach the pet.

Many people are mistaken if they think that, when starting the process of teaching dogs with the clicker, the owner will have to walk with the device for the rest of his life for the pet to obey him; since, when learning a command clearly, the animal will no longer need clicks to execute it, needing only a lot of affection as a reward after having obeyed it.