Tips From the Experts for Successful Clicker Training

Clicker training is a widely accepted and popular method for training pets with positive reinforcement. The clicker method is easy for anyone to learn, even children. Animal trainers have found clicker training to be a wonderful training tool. Following are some tips from professional animal trainers to help you and your pet reap the most from your clicker training experiences.

Mary Hunter, stalecheerios.com

“Have a well defined plan. It’s easy to get in trouble or get stuck if you haven’t mapped out where you’re going. Decide what you will and won’t click for. Plan each step towards your goal. Think about potential problem spots and know before you start what to do in each of these situations.”

Pamela Dennison, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training

“Make a list of the behaviors you observe in your dog now, along with what you’d rather see instead….When you identify what you want, you’ll be surprised at how often you actually do get these behaviors—even without training. No dog can be ‘bad’ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week….And now you can start reinforcing the ‘good’ behaviors because you know what to look for.”

Jane Killion, When Pigs Fly!: Training Success With Impossible Dogs

“If you want a dog that is quiet and polite in the house, you have to reinforce that. Every dog calms down sometimes, even if it is only for ten seconds. Find that ten seconds and reinforce it….By reinforcing the quiet behavior, you can grow those ten seconds of calmness into hours of calmness.”

Mary Ray and Andrea McHugh, Click & Train Your Dog

“Practice with a clicker before using it near your dog, and remember that he has sensitive hearing so avoid close proximity to his head.”

Melissa Eldredge, Amazing Pet Tricks

“If you are training a cat, try out some cat treats. Cats are often pickier than dogs, so don’t buy a whole bunch of one type of treat until you’re sure your cat will like it.”

Marilyn Krieger, Naughty No More

“Cats are easily sidetracked. It is important to train in a location without distractions such as other animals or loud noises, where your cat feels safe. The treats you are using as primary reinforcers should be the only food available during the training sessions.”

Clicker Training for Dogs, www.medicinenet.com/pets/dog-health/clicker_training_for_dogs.htm

“Practice a new behavior in many different places so that your pet learns how to do it everywhere. Start in calm, quiet environments and slowly work up to more distracting locations.”

Clicker Training for Dogs, www.medicinenet.com/pets/dog-health/clicker_training_for_dogs.htm

“Some trainers like to click and then deliver a “jackpot”-a bunch of treats-when their pet has accomplished a particularly challenging task. Big efforts deserve big rewards!”

Mandy Book and Cheryl Smith, Quick Clicks - 40 Fast and Fun Behaviors to Train With a Clicker

“Because clicker training is ‘no-force’ training, it’s an excellent method to use with fearful dogs, and can be managed by both children and seniors, even with large breed dogs.”

Canicross – A Fun New Way to Exercise With Your Dog

Canicross is the popular European sport of cross-country (“cross”) running or walking with your dog (“canine” or “cani”) pulling you. The dog wears a special harness and you wear a waist belt attached to the harness with a bungee line or towline. Canicross is growing in popularity throughout the U.S. and Canada as a dryland sport to keep sledding dogs in shape during the off-season, but many people just want to enjoy working out with their dogs hands-free without a leash. By pulling on the line, your dog helps you run faster and farther without causing you to fall. With the positive reinforcement clicker training method, you can teach your dog the basic skills required for canicross.

Any medium to large breed of dog over one year of age weighing 30 pounds or more and without hip dysplasia can learn to canicross. Dogs can learn at any age, but the best time to start training is when they’re puppies learning basic obedience skills. This is where clicker training begins. To be successful in canicross, your dog must understand basic commands for starting, stopping, turning and continuing past distractions.

The following commands are used in canicross:

“Hike” – start running or run faster

“Gee” – turn right

“Haw” – turn left

“On By” – ignore the distraction

“Easy” – slow down

“Whoa” – stop

“Line Out” – run ahead and pull the tugline tight

With clicker training, you can teach all of these commands. After your dog has mastered the basic obedience commands such as sit, come, stay, and down, you can begin clicker training the skills needed for canicross. Train your dog to stay with you on a loose leash and to stay just ahead of you. Whenever the dog naturally runs ahead and pulls the tugline tight, then say the command "line out." Click and treat every time your dog lines out in front of you. With every skill, allow your dog plenty of time to learn to associate each new skill with a treat. Through clicker training, you will learn better dog communication and will become more attentive to your dog’s behavior, signs of tiredness or pain, weaknesses, and strengths. Take it one step at a time and create a good training foundation to keep the activity fun and safe.

Canicross is an excellent physical and mental workout for your dog, building his strength, endurance, and self-confidence. Clicker training and canicross build a strong bond of trust and respect between man and dog.

Learn more about Canicross at:

American Dryland Mushers Association

CaniX.UK

Ehow.com

Skijor