Clicker Training Prepares Your Dog for a Great Summer Vacation With You

Planning a family vacation but not sure if your dog is ready? Even if you have trained your dog at home in four of the basic obedience skills – come, sit, stay, down – he may not react the same to your commands in strange places or with distractions. You’ll want to practice clicker training these important behaviors in other locations: in the yard, on the sidewalk along a busy street, in a car, in a noisy park, and in pet-friendly restaurants and stores. Clicker training in new environments will help your dog feel more confident in unfamiliar situations.

To keep your dog safe in strange places, use clicker training to teach him to come when called. If he is unleashed and gets confused in a new environment, he could freak out and start running away, possibly into dangerous areas. You’ll also want to use clicker training to teach your dog to settle in his bed or crate, so he’ll be comfortable in a restaurant, your cabin, or grandma’s house. And grandma will enjoy having him!

If this is your dog’s first vacation away from home, or if your dog has just recently learned the basic behaviors with clicker training, plan to continue clicker training while you’re gone. Be sure to pack clickers and a treat bag with a good supply of clicker training treats. Prepare your dog in advance with clicker training so everyone can have a fun and safe vacation.

Four-month-old Puppy Learns to Sit In Just Five Minutes With Clicker Training

It seems like everywhere I go, I hear stories about how people use clickers to train their dogs! I was in a card store yesterday looking for a graduation card, and Nicki, the clerk who was helping me, mentioned she has a dog. When I asked if she has ever heard of clicker training, she said a friend had given her a clicker for training her new puppy, Tess, and she had just started using it. She wanted to clicker train her four-month-old puppy to sit.

When Nicki first started telling the puppy to sit, the puppy just looked at her as if saying, “What does that mean”? But Nicki kept giving the command “Sit,” and after a few times the puppy finally sat. Nicki immediately clicked the clicker and gave the puppy a treat. Nicki practiced clicker training the puppy a few more times, and the puppy obeyed every time. In just five minutes of clicker training, her puppy recognized the command to sit, eventually even without the clicker.

“I love the clicker! I can’t believe how easy it was to clicker train my puppy to sit,” Nicki exclaimed. “I plan to use clicker training for other commands. I really like how clicker training is a positive reinforcement for my puppy to learn. And Tess thinks the clicker is fun!”

Bake Fresh Homemade Dog Biscuits to Use as Your Clicker Training Treat Reward

Looking for a yummy treat that will make clicker training your dog easy and fun? Try baking your clicker training treats! Here’s a popular recipe reprinted with permission from Dog Treat Recipes, a website with lots of recipes for healthy, tasty dog treats and food perfect for clicker training treats.

 

Super Easy Peanut Butter Dog Treat
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 cup peanut butter (smooth only, please)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oatmeal

 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a baking or pizza pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and oatmeal. Then add the peanut butter and milk. Stir it together until a dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead and roll out to a 1/4″ thick. Break out your cute bone-shaped cookie cutters or a pizza cutter and cut the dough into the desired sizes and shapes.
• Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Once cool, let your favorite pup enjoy before storing them in an airtight jar (or resealable freezer bag).
• These treats will last a few days at room temperature or in the refrigerator. To keep longer, freeze.

The right clicker training treats for your dog are an important part of successful clicker training techniques. It is important to remember that treats need to be broken into very small, pea-sized pieces for clicker training to keep your dog's calorie count in line.

What treats have you found to work especially well for clicker training your dog? Please click on “comments” below this article to share your dog clicker training suggestions and recipes.

The Right Clicker Training Treats Are Crucial to Dog Clicker Training Success

Now that you have the dog training clicker, you need to determine what treats you’re going to give your dog that will make him want to respond to clicker training. Many clicker training experts suggest the dog treats found in grocery stores may not be special enough for your dog to stay focused on a new or difficult task; they recommend “human” food as the healthiest, tastiest treat for your dog. Cheese, hot dogs, chicken, steak—what special treats does your dog love? Be sure to cut them up in tiny pieces and give them only as clicker training treats for the best results.

You may be asking yourself:

Q. How do I keep my dog from getting fat with all the clicker training treats?
A. Be sure to cut up the food into tiny morsels – the size of a pea or smaller. One trainer cuts a hot dog into 80 pieces. Consider the treats part of your dog’s regular meals and reduce the food given at meal times by the amount used during clicker training.

Q. What if my dog doesn’t respond to food treats for clicker training?
A. Some dogs just don’t respond as well to food rewards. Maybe your dog loves certain toys, playing ball, or getting pats from you. As you get to know what your dog likes, you’ll find the best combination of treats or rewards for clicker training.

Q. Will I have to give my dog treats the rest of his life just to get him to obey?
A. If you keep the food hidden from your dog until you’re ready to reward him and use a variety of rewards, your dog won’t expect food every time he obeys. For long-term clicker training success, use both food and non-food treats so your dog learns that the reward can come in different forms.

Make sure you have plenty of clicker training treats on hand wherever you go with your dog. Order Treat Totes from The Clicker Company.