Click for the Win!
I’ve talked about R+ training here before, but today I want to touch on a specific subset of that type of training: clicker training. I’m running into a lot more confusion from people about what this is than I ever realized was out there! A clicker is a tool, and a tool that is only used for positive reinforcement training. I have heard/seen others that have just picked one up and clearly had no clue what it was about—-they somehow found ways to make it aversive… Well, that’s annoying. Let me tell you how this works:
Clickers are simply a marker. A marker is a conditioned reinforcer to help the trainer be more precise about what they are rewarding the learner for. A conditioned reinforcer is not inherently reinforcing to the learner (hopefully it starts at a neutral spot), then we turn it into something reinforcing by pairing it with a reinforcer (typically food). This is called “charging” the clicker. To teach the learner, you simply click, then offer a treat. Continue this for ~10 reps, then wait for their head to be turned away form you and click. They should turn around excited for the treat.
A click is a sacred promise between the trainer and learner that a reward is coming. This is what keeps the power of the click strong. Every once and a great while you may click on accident. That’s OK! But you need to give the treat regardless! Timing is important. A clicker is a precision tool to help the learner and trainer be more accurate in their communication skills. If the timing of your click is off by a second or two, it could mean the difference between clicking for the sitting dog, or standing one. Think of it like a camera: you click just in that moment when the learner is doing exactly what you want like you were to take a picture of it.
Using a clicker is a mechanical skill the trainer needs to develop in themselves! Your treat hand needs to be still. Find a spot on your side, your back, or by your navel to park it. Do not park it in your treat bag!! The learner will be too focused on treats and not enough on what they are doing to earn the treats. Your whole body should be relatively still, provided you aren’t working on a moving skill. Clicker ready in one hand, click when appropriate. Then your treat hand moves to get a treat and deliver it within 3-5 seconds of the click. I always encourage people to practice this prior to working with an animal as it will eliminate a lot of errors in the beginning. There are videos you can use to practice click timing (click every time the dog sits, click when the bouncing ball hits the ground). That second one with a ball you can do at home too. Practice your treat hand staying at it’s place until after the click, then getting and delivering the treat. Practice your treat delivery. Are you getting it right to their mouth? Are you tossing it? Where are you tossing it? Can you toss it accurately? If not, practice accurate tossing!
The Karen Pryor website has tons of resources for all this and more information. This is the group my certification is through, so my clicker skills are well tested. Clicking can create some amazing behaviors and is truly wonderful for the dog sport world when it comes to precision and fine-tuning things before a competition. Agility, fly ball, and free-style are all sports that thrive with clicker training. If you are in the Colorado Springs area and want to learn more about clicker training, or fine-tune your skills, we are here for that!
