What Are The Advantages Of Clicker Training ?

What are the advantages of clicker training?
 
You may have already heard of clicker training being used to train dogs all over the world. Obviously it is not the only successful method employed by today’s dog lovers, but it is fast becoming increasingly popular. It is a clever technological development which taps into the psychological make up of any dog, appealing to its instincts in a way unlike any other form of obedience training available today. So why is it so popular? What makes it so effective?
 
First and foremost we should establish what the clicker actually is and indeed what clicker training entails. The clicker is a clever little device which will make all your dog training techniques a million times easier and more effective. It is a handheld toy like device with a large button on it. This button makes a clear and distinctive sound when pressed. It is intended to provide instant feedback to your dog on its behavior. So why is this more effective than just simply using my voice? Following careful scientific research, it was discovered that the certain tone and pitch of this particular sound is the most stimulating to dogs. Not only does it command their attention, but it appeals to the inner workings of the brain which associate specific sounds with certain behaviors. Thus it is not really the tool itself which is responsible for training the dog, but it is such an incredibly useful tool that clicker training is recommended by leading dog trainers across the world.
 
Thus it is not really the clicker itself which is responsible for such successful results in clicker training over recent years, but the way it is used and indeed the reasons why it is used. The sound produced by the clicker essentially tags or marks a certain behavior as positive, and moreover it does this the instant the behavior is actually done. In this way it provides instant feedback to your dog that his behavior is good and he will be praised for it. Hence clicker training works on the same positive learning structures which all the successful dog training techniques do, it is just more effective because of the psychological dimension it has in appealing to the dog’s instincts.
 
Due to the fact that clicker training is based on positive reinforcement of learning, and is moreover a gentle and calm method of obedience training, you are able to foster a close positive relationship with your dog, and indeed simultaneously develop an atmosphere of calmness while the dog is still happy and enjoying himself. This is always a longterm goal, as it is advisable to have control over your dog but when it is tranquil but content. The attitude towards training which it creates means that the training process is stress-free, which is most useful for big dogs which can be difficult to handle. If only for the positive and relaxed atmosphere and the close and positive relationship it will give rise to between the two of you, it is well worth considering clicker training as your new means of bringing up your dogs.