EXCELLENT PETS | Training Accessories | Pets Clicker

Clicker training is a very animal-friendly and effective way of training that can be used with all animal species.
This Clicker is easy to hang on the wrist, trousers or belt while training.

The training method
A clicker is a small box containing a metal plate. When you press it, a metallic click can be heard. Clicker training is a way of training where the animal learns to associate its own behaviour with an event in the environment. In practice, when the animal shows desired behaviour, it is rewarded by the owner. The animal will want to show the desired behaviour more often because it will give him something positive. Undesired behaviour does not yield anything and is not punished. This makes this way of training very animal-friendly. To give an example of how this way of learning works: if, for example, a dog knocks over a rubbish bin once (its own behaviour) and then finds food (positive consequence), it will show this behaviour more often. On the other hand, the moment he does this several times without finding food (no reward for the behaviour), this behaviour will eventually disappear.

Teaching
Clicker training is mainly used to teach something, the moment the animal understands the exercise well and performs it well, the clicker is phased out. Using this method, not only new commands can be taught, but undesired behaviour (such as pulling on the lead, attacking other dogs, etc.) can also be tackled. Originally, clicker training was mainly applied to dolphins and wild animals. Nowadays, it is a widely used method to train dogs as well. There are even owners who use the clicker to train cats, rabbits, birds, etc.

Advantages
The clicker always gives the same sound (‘click’). This is a very clear signal for the dog, often clearer than any word or sound you make yourself. One of the main advantages of using a clicker is that you can time it to the second. With a click, you can reward desired behaviour. Training methods using only food as a reward, for example, are often given too late and unintentionally reward other behaviour.

Click sound
Some dogs are somewhat reluctant or even afraid of the sound at first, but this can often be quickly remedied by muffling the sound (by holding the clicker behind your back) or by using a clicker that can make a softer sound. It is often said that the clicker is not suitable for classroom training, because dogs will then react to the clickers of other owners. In that case, a clicker with different tones can be used. In practice, however, we see that this problem hardly occurs when training with attention.

Clicker training in practice
First of all, the dog has to learn that a click is a predictor of a reward. This is taught by clicking and giving the dog a training snack or food immediately afterwards. When the dog understands this, one can proceed to teach certain exercises. In the beginning, you click (and thus feed) for every good ‘impetus’ to the exercise. The dog can be encouraged to this ‘prompt’ by gestures. In some cases, one simply waits until the dog spontaneously makes an impulse. As an example: when you want to teach the dog to stand from a sitting position, the dog is clicked (and fed) in the beginning for at least lifting the hindquarters. After a few repetitions, the click is delayed a little longer in order to demand more and more of the dog’s desired exercise. One proceeds in this way until the dog masters the exercise perfectly. Only then is a command attached to the exercise. When the whole exercise is performed well on command, the clicker is phased out. This way, the dog also starts thinking for himself and looking for what is asked of him. With owners who use clicker training more often, sometimes a short game is also given as a reward instead of the food.

In short, clicker training is not only a very effective, but also an incredibly fun way of training and working with your four-legged friend!