WHAT IS CLICKER (ALSO CALLED MARKER) TRAINING?
Original Post July 3, 2022
WHAT WE CALL CLICKER TRAINING TODAY WAS FIRST DEVELOPED SHORTLY AFTER WWII BY MARINE MAMMAL TRAINERS WORKING FOR THE US NAVY.
ROOTED IN SCIENCE
The underpinnings of their system was the research work of Ivan Pavlov, Edward Thorndike, and B.F. Skinner, all of whom made invaluable contributions to the science of how organisms learn.
Zoos use clicker training to teach animals large and small (elephants, big cats, gorillas, giraffes, birds and more) to cooperate for routine veterinary care, and to teach smaller animals to perform acts for educational 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, Babe, and Eddie on Frasier for starters.
And of course it is used with terrific success in training pet DOGS!
THE MECHANICS OF CLICKER TRAINING:
1. The animal is asked to perform a behavior
2. The animal performs the desired behavior,
3. The trainer clicks or says a quick “yes!” as the behavior happens,
4. A reward is then given to the animal.
CAN’T I JUST GIVE MY DOG A TREAT FOR DOING WHAT I ASK?
You can, and even the most committed clicker trainers often do not use a clicker once the animal has learned a behavior solidly. But here’s why the clicker is such a powerful addition to our training toolbox especially when we are teaching a new behavior or re-training a behavior that has gotten sloppy:
It speeds learning by giving a precisely timed message to the animal about the exact behavior that is being rewarded.
It helps build a bond of trust and confidence between dog and handler through increased reliability, predictability, and the positive association that it creates for the dog. A click ALWAYS predicts a treat.
It is a training method built around rewarding success and ignoring mistakes, done correctly the successes increase leaving less and less room for mistakes (or misbehavior) to happen.
The animal learns that certain behaviors make good things happen…treats, petting, play, and the owner can depend on a repertoire of trained behaviors from the dog.
It can be 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.
THERE IS ONE IMPORTANT CAVEAT TO USING THE CLICKER WITH ANIMALS THAT ARE SOUND SENSITIVE. IF THE ANIMAL IS AFRAID OF THE CLICKER YOU MUST USE A MARKER WORD INSTEAD!!
*Note: Ivan Pavlov (1846 – 1939), Russian medical researcher, Edward Thorndike (1874 –1949), psychologist, and B.F. Skinner (1904 –1990), psychologist.
