Deciding to add a new dog to your family is always exciting! After all, canines are known for their immense love and loyalty, making them the ideal pets for households of all kinds. Figuring out how to best train your new addition, however, can be a challenge. The best thing you can do is find a local professional dog trainer who can work with your pet one-on-one on a regular basis. Clicker training is an especially effective training method.

 

Clicker training involves the use of a small metal sheet that “clicks” when it is bent. At the start of a training regimen, a canine will be given a treat every time the clicker is used. This reinforces positive behavior. Over time, the clicker itself becomes the “reward” and physical threats are no longer required. As you continue reading, you will discover four of the main benefits clicker training can provide.

 

1. Your dog will learn to be confident – Because clicker training doesn’t involve the use of punishment or harsh lecturing to teach a dog what constitutes poor behavior, your pup will become quite confident. Positive reinforcement leads to natural confidence, which will serve your dog well for his or her entire life. Confident dogs are more likely to be happy and friendly, and significantly less likely to feel threatened in new situations.

2. Clicker training is enjoyable – Dogs like clicker training because they receive treats and trainers enjoy it because they don’t have to discipline their charges in order to teach them proper behavior. Nobody is upset at the end of a clicker training appointment! Your trainer may even ask you to attend certain sessions to work with your dog as well; this will teach your family pet that you have the same authority as the professional trainer.

3. This method is efficient and effective – Clicker training is among the most efficient dog training methods in existence. Whereas some techniques require hours of dedication to teaching a dog a single new trick or behavior, clicker training typically works quite quickly. In many cases, it only takes a few tries to teach a canine a particular action. This saves time for the trainer and makes the process much less frustrating for the dog! It’s a win-win.

4. Can be used for simple or complex commands – Another great perk of clicker training is that it can be used to teach your dog everything from a simple command, such as “Sit!”, to an elaborate trick for a talent competition. This means you and your dog do not have to become familiar with multiple training techniques, which leads to less confusion and more clarity all around.

 

If you are interested in enrolling your dog in clicker training courses in the near future, give Leader of the Pack a call today. We would love to work with you and your pet!