PumpkinPups Dog Training 

Common Dolphin
Photo taken by Scott Hill, NOAA Corps
Used with the permission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory.

What we call clicker training today was first developed shortly after WWII by marine mammal trainers working for the US Navy.  The underpinnings of their system was the scientific work of Ivan Pavlov, Edward Thorndike, and B.F. Skinner, all of whom made invaluable contributions to the understanding of how organisms learn.

Soon this reward-based approach was transferred to training the amazing tricks we see at zoos and aquariums (think Sea World) today.

Clicker trained animals are all around us.

Zoos use clicker training to teach large animals (elephants, big cats, giraffes) to cooperate for routine veterinary care, and to teach smaller animals amusing routines for shows.

Horse trainers use it to teach young horses and to rehabilitate neglected animals.

Many animals we see on commercials, tv shows and movies…are clicker trained: dogs, raccoons, rabbits, tortoises, llamas and more.  Think Benji and Babe for starters.

And of course it is used with terrific success in training pet DOGS!!!

The Mechanics of Clicker Training:

1. The animal performs the desired behavior,

2. The trainer clicks or says a quick “yes!” as the behavior happens,

3. A reward is then given to the animal.

Can’t I just give my dog a cookie?

You can, but here’s why the clicker is such a powerful training tool:

• It speeds learning by giving a precisely timed message to the animal about what behavior will be rewarded.

• It helps build a bond of trust and confidence between dog and handler through increased reliability and the joy of a training method built around rewarding success and ignoring mistakes:

1. The animal learns that certain behaviors make good things happen…treats, petting, play,
2. and the owner can depend on a repertoire of trained behaviors from the dog.

• It is invaluable when working with fearful and reactive dogs, because it allows the handler to click and reward the tiniest increments of improved behavior; a process known as shaping.

Watch or experience clicker training in action  and you will be struck by the sheer enjoyment of the learning process experienced by both dog and handler.

*Note: Ivan Pavlov (1846 – 1939), Russian medical researcher, Edward Thorndike (1874 –1949), psychologist, and B.F. Skinner (1904 –1990), psychologist.

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Sleepy Poncho at 12 weeks
 

Clickers

 Hobbs and Shadow paying attention