Clicker Training
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 at 01:44PM For many pet owners, the decision on what training method to use is a weighty one. Generally, people do not want to use physical means to "train" an animal, but may lose patience when other means aren't working out as planned. Enter clicker training.
What is clicker training? How does it work? Clicker training is a method of training that works with an animal’s natural desire for a pleasurable outcome after completing a desired task. This method works on the premise that a treat is better than a physical punishment. As the animal performs a particular task, i.e. sit, the clicker button is used in conjunction with the task and they begin to associate the click with the desired out come of the task. The animal is then given a reward such as a treat, petting or a verbal reward, this is at your discretion.
The animal will begin to associate the clicker training sound to the reward and soon the click and the reward will not be needed as reinforcement. Occasionally, it may be helpful to reinforce the clicker training with a refresher lesson while gradually replacing the food reward with a pat or a "good boy" type of a reward.
It is also very important to train in a variety of settings. While you dog may learn to sit in your backyard via clicker training, he may not understand the action that you are asking for if you have him in a park setting. It is important to fully train before deciding to leave the clicker at home.
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