Have you ever heard of clicker training for your dog? Clicker training found its way to us from the USA and is based on knowledge that can be found in the behavioral research could win. The method of clicker training for your dog is based on the interaction of a command and an acoustic signal in the form of a click as a "reward" that reinforces a desired behavior. Clicker training is a great way to train and play with your soul mate in a positive way. Quite without pressure or negative influences. clicker training is easy to implement . It is important to first create the basics and always wait for the right moment of the "reward" in the exercises. In the following article we will tell you everything you need to know about clicker training with your dog.

What is dog clicker training?

Clicker training has been used in dog training for a long time. Even with horses and cats, this is based on scientific findings based method Application. Clicker training makes it easier for you to communicate desired behaviors so that your dog can learn them faster or discard unwanted behaviors. The principle behind clicker training is as simple as it is ingenious: every click is a reward. At the beginning of clicker training with your dog, you lay the foundation by teaching him that the click signal is an alternative form of reward, so to speak Treat substitute . We'll explain how this works in more detail later.

The so-called clicker is used for clicker training clickers . A handy device with a button in the middle and a handy wrist strap. As soon as you press the button, a "click" sound is triggered. It's reminiscent of a kind of cracking. You can use the clicker both at the dog training , im dog sport as well as at agility insert.

Where does dog clicker training come from?

The clicker training makes use of the results of the applied behavioral research and is based on the learning behavior of animals, in which positive experiences reinforce a certain behavior. We too learn so clearly more efficient and faster.

Clicker training made its way into dog training in the 1980s. Karen Pryor's book, Don't Shoot the Dog, popularized the principle of positive reinforcement. She herself had the techniques of operant conditioning According to Skinner, it was already successfully tested in dolphins and other marine mammals in the 1960s.

Today, clicker training is used in many areas, such as in the Training assistance dogs or in many dog ​​sports.

How does clicker training work?

Clicker training is one of the most effective training methods . The central focus is on the reward at the right moment, so that your dog also associates the click with the desired behavior. This means: If your dog has executed a command correctly, you have about two seconds for the reward. If you are already advanced in clicker training, this is the reward the click . The acoustic signal shows your dog that his behavior was correct or desired and is taken as a reward. This positive feedback encourage him to show this behavior more and more often. You two become one rehearsed team and have a lot of fun together, because the clicker training supports a positive togetherness.

How do you start with clicker training and which dog exercises are suitable for this?

If you start with clicker training, the first step is to teach your dog the principle of the clicker. In the first training sessions, you will first get your four-legged friend used to the sound of the clicker and this with a positive experience get in touch. In concrete terms, this means you press the clicker and immediately give your dog a treat. The timing is crucial here so that your dog understands a click as a reward. For each clicker training session, you repeat the click and the giving of a treat around five times. Only when your dog has understood during clicker training that the click is the actual reward can you join in targeted exercises begin.

Sit down for clicker training with your dog concrete goals . This can be, for example, learning commands such as sit or down. In the course of the clicker training you can make the exercises more and more difficult, because that also promotes that your dog thinking . You'll be amazed at how quickly your dog will learn desired behavior with clicker training once you've laid the foundation.

Basically, it is recommended to build up the clicker training with a dog trainer to perform. To make it easy later, the be-all and end-all are the first training sessions that the dog does Principle of clicker training convey. If the correct connection to the clicking sound is not established, clicker training will not work. If you are also interested in other topics related to your pets, please have a look at our CBD blog over.

Tips for clicker training your dog

If your dog has made particularly good progress with clicker training, you can reward it with a special treat. That makes for more motivation . Use those positive additional reinforcement only in exceptions for important milestones in your training.

Pay attention to the condition of your dog during any clicker training. As soon as he seems tired, inattentive or stressed (frequent yawning or lip licking), you should end the training session. Always with a positive ending, of course. The important thing about clicker training is that both of you Fun have and no pressure arises. Therefore, be patient if clicker training exercises with your dog do not work immediately. It is better to plan short and therefore several exercise units and give your dog enough time to relax. Your fur nose processes the information from the clicker training, especially when you are asleep.

If you want to try clicker training with your dog, it's best to see if there are professional trainers in your area. In addition, you can already deal with the matter. There is a ton of good literature on clicker training. Among other things, you stay with our Newsletter Up to date. We from BergBlüten team wish you all have fun discovering clickers together.