Dog Obedience Training - Clicker Training

By : GreenDog
Clicker Training

Dog obedience training is one essential requirement that every dog owner should consider when taking care of a pet. Because dogs behave differently under different circumstances, it is important for them to be taught the proper behavior. Dog obedience training gives the owner the ability to communicate effectively with the dog, so the dog is able to understand what is required of him to do, or how he should properly behave.

A lot of times, trying to house train a dog can be an arduous task, especially when you are unequipped or uninformed of how to properly do it. In this regard, many dog owners decide on hiring professional dog trainers to do the job for them. This can be an ideal situation, especially when the owner has a busy schedule, but it can sometimes be costly. Did you know that training your dog is not as difficult as it seems? All you need is patience and dedication to the training, and you will soon be rewarded with a stronger bond between you and your pet. Plus, you no longer have to be concerned about his misbehavior, as your dog will always be at his best.

Many sources describe dog obedience training as falling into two categories, leash training and reward training. Both methods have been widely use by animal experts and trainers over the years, as they are both effective in teaching dogs. Leash training relies on the usage of a leash to allow a dog to understand specific commands. This also lets the dog know how his negative behavior is not acceptable. Reward training, on the other hand, uses treats as a form of reinforcement, for a dog to easily understand what should and should not be done. The clicker training method is one such form of reward training.

What is the clicker training method? In many internet sources, and in terms of animal behavior, this can also be called as operant conditioning. This means that a dog learns to associate a positive act with something he likes, such as the treats or the reward. It is called clicker training because it uses a small handheld device that creates a sound when pressed. Using the clicker is an effective way for a dog to quickly grasp specific commands. Whenever you teach a dog a command, you time it with a click, and when he obeys, you give him the treat.

One of the first exercises to try out with the clicker method is to help the dog accustom the training and treats with the clicking sound. First, you must be in an area where there is minimum distraction for the dog, and have your bag of treats nearby. First, you have to call the dog’s name, if he looks at you, click and give him a treat. Repeat this several times within the next half hour, so the dog quickly associates the click with attention, and a corresponding treat. You can learn more about additional techniques on clicker training that you can practice on your dog.



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