Why is Clicker Training Better?

Clicker training works, by providing a crystal clear system of communication between people and animals.  When teaching a new behavior, the target behavior is usually marked with a sound, (though other forms of markers (like light for example) can also be effective in special situations). This short distinct sound is used to "mark" or  "click" the behavior, followed by delivering meaningful positive reinforcement.   The well-timed click, combined with the reinforcement, is the secret sauce that communicates- yes! That's it!

While a bit of a simplification, in essence, any behavior can be trained with any animal by effectively executing three steps:

• • Get the behavior.
  • Mark the behavior.
  • Reinforce the behavior.

Clicking is like taking a picture of the behavior the trainer wishes to reward. After "taking the picture," the trainer gives the animal something it likes, usually a small piece of food but sometimes play, petting, a favorite toy or other rewards. It is the effective, safe, and humane way to teach any animal any behavior that it is physically and mentally capable of doing and it creates enthusiastic learners

Clicker training is short-hand for a system of marker-based positive reinforcement training. Clicker training gets its name from the specific work of Karen Pryor and a colleague who popularized the use of the clicker and the term clicker training in animal training generally and in dog training in particular.  The clicker often refers to a type of marker - an easy-to-use, low-cost piece of equipment that emits a short sound when pressed.  but if you've been to a marine mammal show you might have heard trainers use a whistle.  That's just a different marker, but most marine mammal trainers use a system of teaching that is based on the same principles. In fact, before becoming famous in the dog training world, Karen Pryor was a ground-breaking marine mammal trainer using "clicker training".

There are many differences between clicker training and what is often called  "traditional training" which intentionally teaches a system of training that uses corrections (also called punishment) alone or corrections mixed with positive reinforcement.  Clicker training does not introduce these corrections into its training system for many reasons ethical and practical.

The essential difference between clicker training and other reward-based training sometimes called "treat training",  is that clicker training uses a marker so the animal is told exactly which behavior earned it a reward. This information is communicated with a distinct and unique sound, a click, which occurs at the same time as the desired behavior. A reward always follows. The marker makes the learning process, among other benefits, efficient.

If an animal does not hear a click during an action, the animal may not connect the reward with that action. Or, the animal may associate the reward with another, unwanted action. With the click, a trainer can "mark" behavior precisely so that the animal knows exactly what it is doing. That's why clicker trainers call the click an "event marker." As the click bridges or connects the behavior and its reward, it is also called a "bridging signal."

The clicker itself is just a simple device that makes a clear, short sound. It marks the moment the animal performs a behavior the trainer desires, but there is no magic in the clicker. Some trainers use other types of markers, such as a whistle, a bell, or a musical tone. Selecting the marker type is often about ease of use, the marker’s uniqueness to the environment, and the ability of the animal to perceive the marker. For example, a trainer working with a deaf dog that cannot hear a clicker might rely on a visual marker like a thumbs up or a tactile marker such as a distinct tap on the shoulder. Trainers who use these other types of markers often refer to their training as clicker training because they are using the same scientific principles.

A click is more useful for training than a spoken word because it is not a sound the animal hears in any other circumstances. It means one thing only: a reward is coming because of what you did when you heard the click. A click can be produced instantly and at the exact moment a behavior occurs. Even a very quick and subtle behavior, the twitch of an ear for example, can be clicked.

Unlike human voices, which can say the same word in different ways, and so express different emotions or meanings each time, the click sounds the same every time it is heard; its meaning never varies. Humans are highly verbal creatures, but our pets are not. It can be difficult for pets to pick out a single word from the stream of meaningless spoken words they hear every day. The click's meaning, however, is always clear. It is always directed at the animal, and it is always good news.

The clarity with which a click enables trainers to communicate with their animals has a profound effect on trainer-animal relationships. The level of interaction increases, and trainer and animal become more interesting and fun for each other.

It is important to understand that a verbal marker can absolutely work. There are experienced trainers who use verbal markers such as “good” or “yes” effectively. But they usually understand the challenges described above and have found a way to compensate for those concerns. Beginners will often find a clicker or other mechanical sound to be a more effective marker.

Clicker trainers differ from traditional trainers in that they wait until the behavior is well understood by the animal before using a "cue." A cue is the name of a behavior, such as "sit," a hand movement, or other clear signal. Until the animal knows what the behavior is, any name for it would be meaningless.

When the animal has been clicked several times for a behavior, and then repeats the behavior confidently, showing that it knows exactly what earns it a click and a reward, it is ready to learn the name of the behavior. Clicker trainers call this "introducing the cue."

To teach the animal the name of the behavior, or the cue, the trainer says or signals the cue just before the animal repeats the behavior. After several repetitions, the trainer begins to click and reward when the animal does the behavior, but only after the cue is given. No click is given if the animal does the behavior without being given the cue first. The animal quickly learns to listen or watch for the cue, which tells the animal: if you do this behavior now, you will get a click and earn a reward.

Clicker trained animals want to perform behaviors for which they have been rewarded in the past. If they understand the meaning of the cue and desire the reward, they will perform the behavior.

If they do not perform the behavior, clicker trainers do not assume that the animal is "disobeying." Instead, the trainer asks the following questions:

1. Does the animal know the meaning of the cue?
2. Does the animal know the meaning of the cue in the environment in which it was first taught, but not in the environment in which it was just given?
3. Is the reward for doing the behavior sufficiently desired by the animal?

After answering those questions, the trainer revises the training process to be sure that the animal knows the meaning of the cue in all environments, regardless of distractions, and feels rewarded for the behavior.

A consequence of any behavior can be unpleasant or pleasant. So why shouldn't punishments follow unwanted behaviors, just as rewards follow wanted behaviors?

Research demonstrates that punishment will decrease the frequency of an unwanted behavior, but often produces another unwanted behavior. The results of punishment as a training method are difficult to predict and to control.

In addition, punishment is not usually identified with an event marker. It almost always comes after the event and is rarely clearly connected with a specific behavior. In the animal's perception, punishment is a random, meaningless event. It is, therefore, less effective than the combined use of an event marker and positive reinforcement in changing behavior.

Clicker trainers also feel that their relationships with their animals are stronger and more rewarding when they focus on the positive rather than the negative. The difference in attitude and enthusiasm in an animal that works to earn rewards rather than to avoid punishment is vast.

Food is the most popular reward, but anything your dog loves can be used as a reward. Throwing a tennis ball or a quick game of tug are both highly motivating rewards.

If you would like to use food treats, be sure that your tidbits are especially yummy (bits of hotdogs, for example) and that your dog's meals do not immediately precede a training session.

Yes. First widely used by dolphin trainers who needed a way to teach behavior without using physical force, operant conditioning (the scientific term for clicker training) can be and has been employed successfully with animals of all sizes and species, both domesticated and wild, young and old, and with all breeds of dogs and puppies, cats, birds, leopards, rats, rabbits, chinchillas, fish, and more. With deaf dogs, substitute a light flash for the clicker.

Clicker trainers who learn the underlying principles have at their disposal a powerful set of tools that enable them to analyze behaviors, modify existing methods for individual animals, and create new methods where none existed previously. This flexibility lets the tools of clicker training be re-invented in new forms that work in a range of situations, and for an infinite variety of animals.

The same principles have also been applied to training for athletes, dancers, skaters, and other people. Called "TAGteach," this form of training uses a click as a marker signal to teach precise physical motions quickly, accurately, and positively.

Clicker training can be highly effective in calming aggression and giving a fearful dog confidence. The New Click to Calm: Solutions for All Dogs in a Challenging World by Emma Parsons (KPCT: 2021) is packed with innovative and simple solutions for helping any dog to change its patterns of aggressive behavior with a clicker and positive reinforcement.

However, it is important to remember that aggression can be difficult for beginners to handle. We suggest that you seek out a qualified, professional trainer to assist you in dealing with aggression.

We wish it were! Real change takes time and then some. If a trainer or a vet you know doesn't use clicker training it is probably because they haven't had much exposure and/or they feel their existing methods for training or curing behavior problems work well enough already.

We believe in "changing the world one click at a time" because it is only by experiencing clicker training themselves that people who care about animals will realize their full potential. More and more trainers are using clicker training to teach basic obedience and other classes, more shelters are using it to care for animals, and more vets are recommending it.