Hi I'm Adele
a Canine Behaviour and Training Advisor here at Battersea
and today I'm going to show you
how to introduce a clicker
when training your dog
Clickers can be a useful tool for training
as they are a clear and concise signal
This allows the dog to recognise
that a successful behaviour has been completed
and that a reward will follow
Where we usually mark a behaviour with a 'Yes'
marking with a click can be far more effective
*Click*
Clicker training is useful for strengthening
known behaviours and teaching new ones
which can be fun for you and your dog
A clicker can also be a clear marker
to change the way your dog feels
around certain triggers
that they might be fearful of
When you click is the key
to success
*Click*
The click must come
exactly on the desired behaviour
and you must provide the reward
within three seconds
If you don't
this could frustrate your dog
and reduce the effectivness of the click
So timing here is key
before you train your dog
you must train yourself
With help from a friend
you can practise your method and timing
Ask your assistant to bounce a tennis ball
The aim is for you to click
at the precise moment
the ball hits the floor
*Click*
The ball can be dropped at different heights
speeds or not dropped at all
This will help to test your accuracy
observation skills
and response times
when using the clicker
*Click*
Before you start training
you need to associate the clicker
with something positive
This teaches your dog
to anticipate a reward
after they hear the click
Begin in a calm environment
without any distractions
If your dog is food motivated
you can use some of their dinner
to avoid using too many treats
Have some food to hand
but out of your dog's sight
and hold your clicker behind your back
When your dog is nice and calm
simply click and follow with a food reward
Repeat this process several times
You will soon notice
that your dog's ears might prick up
or they will look at you
when they hear they click
Remember
even if you accidently click
you must still reward your dog
to keep up that association
Don't hold your clicker like a remote
or direct it towards your dog
as this could be off-putting
If your dog is noise sensitive
you may need to use the clicker in your pocket
to muffle the sound
*Click*
Now that your dog is anticipating the food
You can start to introduce the clicker
as a marker of desired behaviour
"Sit"
Ask your dog for a simple cue
that they already know
such as 'sit' or 'down'
As soon as they perform the behaviour
click and reward them
"Sit"
*Click*
Practise this regularly
over a few short sessions
so that you can improve your timing
and your dog can get used to using the clicker
Now we're going to show you
how to utilise a clicker
when teaching something new
The example we will be using
is getting your dog to go to a mat
and settle
We're going to use the clicker
to mark each gradual step
that your dog achieves
towards the end behaviour
Start by clicking
and rewarding any interest
your dog shows in the mat
Delay the click
until your dog puts a paw on the mat
and then click and reward
Repeat this until your dog
is reliably putting at least one paw
on the mat
before you click and reward
Next wait until your dog
puts at least two paws on the mat
before clicking and rewarding
Continue this process until you
are only clicking and rewarding
for four paws on the mat
Now you can progress to asking your dog
for a down
when on the mat
and only click and reward this
For full steps on
how to teach this behaviour
see our video on 'how to teach a settle'
When using a clicker for training
try not to say too much to your dog
Let the clicker do the talking
Learning something new
can be tiring
so make sure you give them regular breaks
or go back a step if they are struggling
If you'd like to learn more
about how to teach your dog the Battersea way
visit our website and follow our channels