When Clickers Speak, Dogs and Dolphins Listen

Three dolphins swim in almost perfect synchrony around the circle, and at the exact same moment, all three jump through hoops. Amazing! How were they trained to do that? With clicker training!

Clicker training communicates the behavior you want to reinforce by using an event marker: the clicker. The training method works with dolphins; it works with dogs. (It can even work with kids!)

Your dog performs the desired behavior (the "event"), you click (the "marker") and you immediately reward your dog with a special treat, such as food, a toy, or a ball. In this way, the dog learns to associate the treat with the good behavior. The timing of the click is very important; clicking at the instant the dog does the requested behavior and giving him a treat helps your dog learn the association much more quickly and avoids a lot of frustration.

The dog training clicker creates a distinctive metallic sound. Voice commands are less precise and can weaken the association, and may not be as successful. The point of clicker training is to use a sound so distinct that it always sounds the same, will not be heard in any other situation, and will not confuse the dog.

Clicker training can speed up the progress of obedience training and shorten the time needed to teach your dog new tricks. Train your dog by using positive reinforcement and gentle handling - with a clicker.