Figure 1. Clicker on woven nylon lanyard worn around neck for immediate accessibility
Clickers training is perhaps one of the easiest to master techniques for training dogs and other animals. All it requires is a simple "clicker" like the one shown in Figure 1. This consist of a steel strip of ribbon with a punched impression mounted in a small 2"x1"x3/4" plastic box. When pressed in and out the clicker makes a double "click-clock" sound. This can be associated with a reward and used as positive reinforcement of desired behavior.
Clicker training has been vigorously promoted by Karen Pryor and Pat Miller. Both these trainers have authored books on clicker training. Karen Pryor's site also provides clicker supplies and gear.
Of course you do not need a clicker to use clicker training. You may make a distinctive klick-klock sound by flicking your tongue against the roof of your mouth or a pop-pop or smack-smacksound by pressing your lips inward and quickly puckering them outward sucking air as you open your mouth. Sound files of both the effects are provided by clicking on the links above that you may compair the sound with that of a real clicker. It may be interesting to note that the pop-pop sound one can make with their lips is the loudest of these three click sounds and certainly compairs quite faviorly with that of a real clicker. Hence a pop-pop sound should be every bit as effective in training as using a clicker, even more so, when one considers that it is always freely available.
I've been using this vocalization method of clicker training for years and find it quite adequate. However, for those who insist upon consistency of sound or who are not able to make a loud klick-klick sound with their tongue or lips, using a plastic/metal clicker provides an easy way to make a double click that is easily reproduced time and again. Also this is a simple way for the novice or a group of people to all use the same method of training, as in a class.
Of course the draw back of this is that then anyone with a clicker can command your dog, which is not always a desirable option. Therefore if you use clicker training and want to be the only person who knows how to command your dog, training should also incorporate verbal commands and/or hand signals. In this regard clicker training can help dogs learn commands faster such that once a verbal command and its associated hand single are learned, the clicker is no longer required.
When you begin clicker training it is important to associate the sound of the clicker with a reward, as your dog's favorite treat. I use pieces of hot dog franks or cheese which my dog loves. But if your dog loves kibbles, bacon, clicker or some other treat, then that will work equally well.
The double click of the clicker, which actually makes a "klick-klock" sound, should be done right after a desired behavior, then followed immediately with a treat. In fact you can make the "klick-klock" sound while the dog is doing the desired behavior. It is important to associate the sound with the good or desired behavior. Then when this is rewarded with a treat, the dog quickly learns to associate the "klick-klock" sound with the treat given in reward. Once this association is learned, you can use clicker training to teach your dog almost anything that it is physically possible for a dog to do.
Clicker training is so easy it is like putting a powerful weapon in the hands of a child, and must therefore be used with care only to train dogs to exhibit good, desired behavior. Never use clicker training to teach aggressive behavior. The only exception to this would be for handlers and trainers in law enforcement, the military or a similar profession or in doing Schutzhund type training in which case the dog and handler work so closely together to master commands that aggression is under the total control of the handler.
I generally like to wear my "klick-klocker" on a braided nylon cord around my neck. These are available in Walmart, Kmart and other stores and generally found in the sports section, I reckon because coaches like to attach a whistle to them and use the whistle to condition their athletes. By the way, using a whistle instead of a clicker to reinforce positive behavior is also an acceptable method of training. You can even use silent whistles or other sound making devices, such as those which make an electronic buzz or tone. The nice thing about a "klick-klocker" is that ones mouth is not holding a whistle, as when training a dog it is good to be able to make voice command to associate with the "klick-klocker" sound.
Over time you should work to teach your dog a number of basic obedience voice/hand signal commands. In her book The Power of Positive Dog Training, Pat Miller makes an excellent review of the basic obedience voice/hand signal commands to teach your dog. These are reviewed below:
These basic obedience commands may be taught over a period of week to your dog and reinforced over its lifetime. Plus you may add more command or invent your own commands. Some trainers and handlers like to teach their dogs to recognize foreign language commands, as American handlers teaching their dogs Germans commands, that other people will not be so likely to distract their dogs by saying a recognized word. Also if you vary these commands it prevents others from being able to guess how to control your dog. However, this is often not really necessary as a well trained dog should be taught to obey its master, trainer or handler and ignore commands given by strangers.
Visit these additional clicker training sites:
www.click-L.com -- Home of the clicker training list
Karen Pryor's clicker training home page
Clicker Gear via Karen Pryor's Store
Pat Miler's Peaceable Paws Site -- Peaceable Paws’ training methods incorporate a strong commitment to positive reinforcement and reward in place of traditional coercion and use of force. See also Pat Miller's Resources for trainers
Paws Plus: Positive Training for Positive Results -- Elizabeth TeSelle, member ADPT
The Clicker Company -- Order clickers, blank, colored, imprinted to your specifications