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I was wondering if anyone knew much about the clicker training method?I want to try it and see how it is with my dog and how she responds to it.I'm ordering books from the library and I'm going to read up on it but I want to know what it's really like from the people who have tried it personally.
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| Well, I have never tried it, but it sounds okay. I don't plan to. Clicker training is something that your dog will regognize because the pitch will never change, so it's easy for him to remember what it is and what it means. (instead of : "good." "GOOD" "*whisper* good dog") However there are two problems. One, it isn't easy to hold the dog's leash, treats, and a clicker at the same time. And two, it never varies, and say, your dog sits for you. "Good dog" calmly will be okay. But if he does a really hard trick, while a clicker will just be like "good" your voice can be like "GOOD DOG! WHAT A GOOD DOG" if he deserves that kind of praise. A clicker never varies, which can be good but also bad. Your voice can be used as a clicker. When I say "Sparkle" Luna knows it means "Treat time" and gets all happy. So if I don't have a treat right next to me when she does something good I can just say "Sparkle, we are getting your sparkle!" while I run to her treats and get them for her. This is the same as a clicker only louder so your dog can understand. I think the general idea of a clicker is okay but you can just use your voice instead. It's easier and cheaper, and I would prefer hearing "GOOD JOB!" to "click" 
My dog is smarter than yours!!!  
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Supreme Being
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I use a clicker often. It's better than using a verbal marker in at least two ways: (1) it's consistent and (2) it's never associated with fear, punishment, or admonishment. Unlike your voice.
The way I use it, I have the clicker in one hand, leash in the other, and treats in my pocket. Since I established from the beginning that a click from the clicker always equals treats, if I click the clicker, the dogs instantly know that they have earned a treat and that they'll get it ASAP.
When you get a clicker, you do have to work on timing: you only have the window of a few seconds to tell a dog whether the action he performed was right or not. And, as I said, you do need to establish that *click*=treat, and always--always--reward a click with a treat. I do this by clicking the clicker in front of my dogs when I first introduce it, and giving a small treat after every click. When the dog gets the idea, it may take one session or more for this, I start using it in training.
I do get better results using a clicker as a marker rather than my voice. So, why don't I use the clicker all the time? Mostly because of my forgetful memory.
Once the dog has the trick down, I begin using verbal praise in addition to the clicker. After a while, I quit using the clicker for that trick. Then I wean off the treat for that particular trick from there.
P.S.
I got my clicker for about $5. It came with a training book from the bookstore downtown, along with a Frisbee.
~Tiffany, breeder-in-training
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I'm the God-fearing, gun toting, flag waving conservative that the liberals warned you about.
Truth enlightens the mind, but won't always bring happiness to your heart.
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Collie/GSD/Sheltie/Corgi/Russell_luvr (9/28/2009)
I use a clicker often. It's better than using a verbal marker in at least two ways: (1) it's consistent and (2) it's never associated with fear, punishment, or admonishment. Unlike your voice.
My dog enjoys hearing my voice. With a clicker, if (like when she fetched my shoes on command today) she does something worth flipping out over, I can give her the exciting praise she deserves. A clicker cannot do that. "YAY! GOOD DOG! SPARKLE! YES! YES!" is slightly more exciting than a "click" even if it was followed by words. I disagree with clicker training totally. I mean, I guess that is prejudiced but I doubt I will ever use it.
My dog is smarter than yours!!!
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Supreme Being
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[quote]Texaspup (9/29/2009)
My dog enjoys hearing my voice. With a clicker, if (like when she fetched my shoes on command today) she does something worth flipping out over, I can give her the exciting praise she deserves. A clicker cannot do that. "YAY! GOOD DOG! SPARKLE! YES! YES!" is slightly more exciting than a "click" even if it was followed by words.
I disagree with clicker training totally. I mean, I guess that is prejudiced but I doubt I will ever use it.[/quote]
Y'know, I used to feel exactly the same way? I even told my brother "Clicker training is just stupid, you won't see me using it." I changed my my mind completely once I finally gave it a try.
In my experience, excitement is not required. It's more about what the dog associates most with reward. And in some cases, I can confuse my dogs with my voice, because sometimes I will say something I didn't intend to say. Sometimes I've actually said "no" when my dogs do well, by accident. The clicker gets rid of that confusion. Also, I've found that timing is easier with the clicker than with voice.
My dogs enjoy my voice too, but I use it so often. And I use it for corrections, too. My point is that while my voice is associated with both good and bad, the clicker is associated completely with good.. Well, Treader was afraid of the noise at first, but after I taught him that it meant a treat was coming, he began getting all excited when I got the clicker out. It even cured his fear of loud noises in general--at first he hates squeaky toys. After learning to love the clicker, he began playing with his squeakies.
In addition, according to some sources, the clicker may work with a different part of the dog's brain than human voice does.
But, use whatever you like. I'm only here to give my take on things.
~Tiffany, breeder-in-training
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I'm the God-fearing, gun toting, flag waving conservative that the liberals warned you about.
Truth enlightens the mind, but won't always bring happiness to your heart.
colliequest.deviantart.com
My website is an introduction to the world of responsible dog breeding:
cookiemiller.tripod.com
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Supreme Being
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| Most people who disregard clicker training don't understand it. In it's purest form, as stated above, it is very benificial due it's consistency and the ability to time your response. It has to be done properly though, if it isn't it's simply treat reward with click noises. There is a common incorrect belief that the 'click' speaks to the dog in a sense, as if it is more beneficial just by the noise itself than is the master's voice... this is incorrect, and stemmed from the fact that clicker training first originated w/ Dolphin trainers (dolphin's click when they communicate). I don't use it because I have been vocalizing so long my timing is A1 on the ball, LOL. However, many of my compadres use clickers, with awesome results, and for the relative newbie general consensus is that it is far easier to time the click than it is your voice. Timing is a key component of precision training.
Terry B
America is a large friendly dog in a very small room. Every time it wags its tail, it knocks over a chair. - Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975)
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Supreme Being
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rainsmom (10/15/2009)
I am not coordinated enough to hold a clicker treats and leash all at the same time, Thank you for the enjoyable mental image!! 
Terry B America is a large friendly dog in a very small room. Every time it wags its tail, it knocks over a chair. - Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975)
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Supreme Being
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Turbo K9 (10/15/2009)
rainsmom (10/15/2009)
I am not coordinated enough to hold a clicker treats and leash all at the same time, Thank you for the enjoyable mental image!! diddnt you know that is my whole purpuse in life, to amuse you
 
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Supreme Being
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rainsmom (10/15/2009)
Turbo K9 (10/15/2009)
rainsmom (10/15/2009)
I am not coordinated enough to hold a clicker treats and leash all at the same time, Thank you for the enjoyable mental image!! diddnt you know that is my whole purpuse in life, to amuse you Then dance for me! Bom-bomp-shikka-shikka-womp-womp
Terry B America is a large friendly dog in a very small room. Every time it wags its tail, it knocks over a chair. - Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975)
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