Almost everyone adores dogs and can't wait to take one home — including you! However, it is until you bring your lovely pup home that you realize how much of a troublemaker he can be. The reason why your pup may demonstrate bad behaviors is because you simply did not teach them what’s right and what’s wrong. 

Don’t worry! Training does not have to be difficult and expensive. In fact, you can easily train your dog at home with a clicker. Training is essential if you and your pup want to co-exist under the same roof peacefully. Read along to find out about how to train your dog with a clicker. 

What Is Clicker Training?

Clicker training teaches dogs how to behave by affecting their memories, perceptions and associations with certain behaviors through connecting them with specific consequences or outcomes. While dog training used to be primarily based on a type of operant conditioning involving negative reinforcement — or punishments for incorrect behaviors — we don't use these unfriendly methods anymore. 

Through positive reinforcement, you teach your dog to adopt certain behaviors and let go of others simply by rewarding good behaviors with treats, praise or favorite activities while ignoring the behaviors that aren't so good. Repetition of this reward process gradually teaches your dog which actions will lead to positive outcomes and which will not. Eventually, your pup will act out their bad habits less and less, focusing on the good behaviors that earn rewards.

Punishment is no way to encourage your furbaby to learn, listen and become comfortable with you. 

There's no question that positive reinforcement is the best way to train your dog. In fact, in a recent study on conditioning dogs to perform certain behaviors by providing them with rewards, the dogs performed the desired action correctly eight out of 10 times following the training. Clicker training works with this concept by attaching a clicking noise to the successful performance of a good behavior, helping your dog associate the habit with a specific, positive outcome.

How Does Clicker Training Work for Your Dog?

The clicker is a device consisting of a metal strip inside a plastic box. When you press it, the box releases a distinctive clicking noise to draw your dog's attention. While rewarding your pup's good behavior with only a treat or a phrase of praise — like "good dog!" — can be helpful in teaching your dog what actions to perform, the click is much quicker and more noticeable to the dog.

The "click" is not a reward on its own, but by giving treats or praise directly after pressing the clicker, you will teach your furbaby that the sound has a positive meaning. When dogs hear the click, they'll know a reward is coming soon and then associate that reward with the positivity of whatever behavior they've just performed.

How to Start Clicker Training

You'll love how simple it is to train your dog with a clicker. To develop your dog's understanding of what the clicking sound means, you'll start with an initial training phase and work your way up to teaching specific behaviors. 

1. Preparation 

Start your clicker training in a quiet area with your pup. Try to make sure your dog isn't especially over-stimulated, exhausted or full from a recent meal — the rewards will work best when he's alert and ready for food. Have a big handful of treats nearby to use as clicker rewards.

2. Introduction 

Begin to condition your dog to the clicking noise. Press the clicker and, following the sound, immediately hand your dog a treat. Repeat this action of clicking and rewarding at least five to 10 times to reinforce the positive association in your pooch.

3. Evaluation  

To test whether your furbaby is used to the meaning of the clicker, try pressing it when they're not paying attention. If they respond quickly, perking up and looking for a treat from you, your dog understands what the click means and is ready for some basic training.

4. Direction 

Start teaching your furbaby some basic commands. When you get your dog to perform the action, follow it with an immediate click, praise and a treat. It's important for you to press the clicker at the precise moment your pup performs the right behavior so that they know the action itself is positive.

Once you've mastered using the clicker, and your dog understands its implications, you can move through basic commands to more advanced training if you desire. All it takes is consistent clicking and the right rewards.