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Clicker Training Basics

Positive Reinforcement (R+) Training

The concept behind Positive Reinforcement (R+) training is to reward the dog for desired behaviors, making those behaviors more likely to occur in the future. Contrast this with punitive training methods, in which the trainer waits for the dog to make a mistake and then punishes those mistakes to make them less likely to occur in the future. R+ training is a kinder, more efficient way of learning that enhances the human-dog relationship and promotes a growth mindset in the dog.

Let’s take a look at the basic concepts of R+ training:

A marker cue (a click of the clicker or a verbal cue like “yes”) marks the exact moment the desired behavior has been performed, and tells the dog that a reward has been earned. For example, you will ask your dog to “sit,” then mark with a click or “yes” the moment your dog’s rear end makes contact with the ground, and deliver a treat ASAP after the marker.

Splitting is the act of breaking down a complex behavior into smaller behaviors that are easy to train.

Set up your environment in such a way that it’s easy for your dog to make the correct choice, giving you the opportunity to reinforce that behavior.

The Power of Food

What types of treats should I use to train my dog? Ideally you can use your dog’s food to train rather than whipping out treats for everything. Measure out your dog’s daily portion of food and put it in a ziploc bag. Take food from the bag to train your dog throughout the day. If you have leftover food at the end of the day, put it in a food puzzle toy, snuffle mat, or Kong so that your dog still works for it.

You may notice that your dog stops caring about their kibble the moment you step out the front door. This is because you’ve entered a high-distraction environment and you now need a more enticing food reward to compete with those distractions. Trainers typically refer to these “high-value treats.” It’s tempting to use these at home to get your dog laser focused on you, but save them for high distraction environments.

 

Your dog decides what is high-value…and it has nothing to do with the price tag. Experiment with different types and brands of food and create a list to record what your dog likes, loves, and can’t live without. Additionally, start tracking your dog’s distractions and how hard it is for them to disengage from those distractions. The three columns will help you match the necessary treats to the corresponding level of distraction you’re competing with in your dog’s environment.

 

Treat Recommendations

I recommend finding a complete dog food (to use in place of treats) that your dog adores so that you can feed an entire meal over the duration of class and not worry about feeding them too many rich treats. Most of my canine clients love ZiwiPeak kibble, Red Barn food rolls, and Stella & Chewy’s dinner patties, but keep in mind your dog may have a different opinion! Fast, cheap options include sliced hot dogs, string cheese, or commercially-sold semi-moist training treats. If you’re looking for healthier options, boiled chicken, ground beef, and deli meat are all held in high regard amongst the canine culinary community.

 

TL;DR / General Tips

  • At home, use your dog’s daily portion of kibble to train. Because home is a relatively low-distraction space, your dog gets paid accordingly: easier job = lower pay. This practice also helps prevent “treat inflation,” a situation where you are constantly cajoling your dog with better and better treats. Pretty soon your dog will be eating better than you!
  • Do not feed your dog immediately before a class or training session, but don’t starve them. Hungry dogs are easier to train, but overly hungry dogs can’t be in the right headspace to calmly learn.
  • Bring at least 3 different types of treats to class or on an outing and save your dog’s favorite treat for the end, when they are mentally fatigued and their tummies are full.
  • Cut treats up into tiny pieces the size of your pinky nail or smaller; we will be using a lot. (This is why I recommend complete dog foods as high-value treats.)
  • Rotate through treats to keep them exciting, and keep a running list of your dog’s favorites.
  • If your dog isn’t excited about any of the treats you brought, and you are in a group class, try trading treats with a neighbor. Sometimes even kibble can be more exciting simply because it’s new.. plus, that other dog is getting it so it must be good!
  • Bring more food than you think you’ll possibly need.. trust me, you’ll be glad you did!