Clicker Mechanics:  How to Correctly Use a Clicker When Training

Those of you who have taken a clicker training class know the importance of "timing" when using a clicker. But there are a few other important aspects of clicker use that you should know. Brushing up on these skills is as important to the experienced clicker trainer as it is to the beginner. And, if you haven't taken a clicker class, what are you waiting for? Sign up now to learn the most advanced, scientific method of animal training available today. Here are some exercises to help you get started:

1. Get comfortable with the clicker and make sure your dog is too. 

Clickers come in many shapes and sizes and every brand sounds different. Click the clicker near your dog. If he flinches or is frightened in any way, try a different brand. Some clickers come with different sounds such as "pings" or "chirp" that may be less intimidating to your dog. Get a wrist coil or lanyard to keep your clicker conveniently attached to you and within easy access.

2. Practice keeping your clicker and treat hand motionless until after the click. Your dogs will quickly start focusing on your treat hand or clicker hand if it is moving. Keep it stationary until you click. Be like a statue ... click, then go for the treat in your treat bag or give a treat that's already in your hand.

Remember, your clicker is NOT a remote control. There is no need to point it at your dog for it to be effective.So keep it still.

3. Watch your dog! This is critical and cannot emphasized enough, you must be looking at your dog. Watch closely for the behavior you want your dog to repeat. Missed opportunities slow the learning process and can contribute to confusion and frustration. 

4. Click DURING the behavior. Do not wait for the behavior to be completely finished.  If you do, you'll probably click too late. 

5. One click = One treat...if you click, you MUST treat. Even if you accidentally click, you must still treat.  The click is a promise that there will be a treat. Keep your promise and always give a treat.

6. Practice your clicker timing without  Or just watch them and click each time they blink their eyes. When watching the nightly weather forecast, click each time the weather person points at the national map. Any and all of these games will help hone your timing and observation skills. your dog present. Have a friend or family member help you practice with your clicker with your dog in another room or outside. Have them bounce a tennis ball, while you click each time it hits the floor. Or toss it in the air and click at the apex (the split second BEFORE it starts to drop).

Now go ahead and start clicking.It's Time to Change the World, One Click at a Time!!

Dawn's classes, Doggie Do Good Beginner Clicker Training and Doggie Do Good Intermediate Clicker/Intro to CGC start Wednesday, April 14, 2010

AnnaBelle's offers competitive pricing, multi-day discount packages, and a special discount for training and grooming clients. A full day of Day Care Depot services is only $20 for current training students and grooming clients who drop their dogs off for day care on the same day as a training class in which they are participating or on the same day as an appointment for grooming services!

Our day care activities are supervised by Dawn Pizzoferrato, a certified dog trainer, and Stephanie Lamb, the Behavior Coordinator for the Capital Area Humane Society. Stephanie has extensive experience evaluating temperaments, successfully matching up play groups, setting up daily exercise and rest schedules, and preventing kennel stress. All dogs must undergo play-testing and approval by our staff to participate in group play day care. 

Learn more about the Day Care Depot!

Angie's unique obedience class (Language and Leadership) focuses on pack leadership, body language, and positive reinforcement. Her classes involve the training the owner and family members and rehabilitating the dog. Angie's method uses body language as well as voice commands to develop and establish an appropriate relationship between owner and dog. If your dog is not listening to you, chances are, your dog does not have sufficient respect for you. Angie will teach you how to become a pack leader and earn the necessary respect so that following your lead becomes second nature to your dog.

In Angie's class, you will learn the importance of pack leadership, establishing rules and boundaries, along with an exercise regimen, and how to implement these essential aspects of responsible dog ownership into your lives. You and your dog will also learn the obedience basics such as heel, sit, wait, down, and come, as well as additional training/rehabilitation measures that are specific to your dog and family. While some basic training is essential for all dogs, Angie believes that not every technique works or is appropriate for every dog and family. Each dog and family is unique and Angie's training philosophy and methods are designed to address and work with different family/dog situations and living styles.

Angie teaches Language and Leadership on Saturdays from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Sign up for Angie's class now! Six week class is only $99! Current class term is Apr. 3 - May 8.

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To be eligible to compete in AKC Obedience trials, a dog must be (1) Registered with the AKC; (2) Enrolled in the PAL (Purebred Alternative Listing)/ ILP program (a program for purebred dogs that cannot be fully registered with the AKC to participate in AKC events); (3) Be a member of a Foundation Stock Service® (FSS) recorded breed that meets the eligibility requirements for competition; or (4) Enrolled in the AKC Canine Partners program (A program for mixed-breed dogs to participate in Obedience).

What is competitive Obedience? Demonstrating the usefulness of a dog as a companion to humankind, AKC Obedience is a sport with rules, regulations, judges, conditioning, training, placements and prizes. Dog and handler teams are judged on how closely they match the judge's mental picture of a theoretically perfect performance as they execute a series of specified exercises. Accuracy and precision are essential, but the natural movement of the handler and the willingness and enjoyment of the dog are very important. Each level of obedience competition - novice, open, and utility - requires mastering a specific skill set, which increase in difficulty, before advancing to the next level.

The Novice Class demonstrates good canine companion skills such as heeling, both with and without a leash, coming when called, standing for a simple physical examination, and staying in both a sit and a down position with a group of dogs. In the Novice Class, dogs earn an AKC Companion Dog (CD) title after receiving a qualifying score under three different judges.

The Open Class is more challenging as more exercises are done off leash and retrieving and jumping challenges are added. In the Open Class, dogs earn an AKC Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) title after receiving a qualifying score under three different judges.

The Utility Class, includes scent discrimination, directed retrieves, jumping and silent signal exercises, is the most challenging class. In the Utility Class, dogs earn an AKC Utility Dog (UD) title after receiving qualifying scores from three different judges.

Interested in training for competitive Obedience? Whether you and your dog have had no training or are advanced, we have an Obedience class to get you started. This term, which starts the second week in April, Carol Hein-Creger and Erinn Hadley of the Canine Training Center are offering Puppy Class, Beginning Obedience, Intermediate Obedience, and Novice Obedience. Sign up now and get started on the competitive track!