Author archive: Terrie Hayward

Day THIRTEEN-21 Day Positive Training Kickstart Challenge

Often times people have heard of “clickers” but aren’t really sure what they are. Clickers are a “marker” or a “bridge” between the behavior we like & the reinforcer we deliver.

Sometimes at the start we do something called, “loading the clicker.” This is teaching the animal that the sound of the “click” means good things. As such, we click & then treat. Repeat. Repeat. As the person in charge of the clicker, you want to maintain this valuable communication option. This means that once your animal understands that the click=reinforcement. You MUST reinforce (somehow-pat, praise, food, activity, game, etc.) EACH & EVERY time you click. No exceptions.

How it works. I watch for my dog to do something that I like. For example, I watch for my dog to sit. The SECOND that my dog sits, I click! Then I deliver something the reinforces that behavior-like a small bite of something yummy or a pat on the head.

ACTION: Try it! See if you can wait & watch for your pup to sit. Then being careful with your timing (timing IS important), click the second his/her bottom hits the ground. Then reinforce! Ta-dah! You are clicker training!

Day TWELVE-21 Day Positive Training Kickstart Challenge

The next step with training once you have observed a behavior is to mark & reinforce it. With Clicker training we use something called a “clicker” to “mark” the behavior. Marking a behavior means signaling to the animal that we liked that behavior. Signaling to the learner that we liked the behavior can also be done via a verbal marker, like a special word (for example, “Yessss” or “Gooooood”).

The way that this works is that we watch for the behavior that we are seeking. Then we “mark” that behavior by clicking our clicker or using our verbal marker (“yessss”) the very second that the behavior occurs. Finally, we reinforce that behavior by offering something that the learner finds worth while to work for!

ACTION: Try asking your dog to make eye contact with you. This is done by saying your pup’s name. When their eyes meet yours quickly say “Yessssss!” & offer them something that they enjoy!

Day ELEVEN-21 Day Positive Training Kickstart Challenge

One of the first steps in training, & a very important one that is sometimes overlooked, is observation. Until you can watch & see exactly what is happening it is difficult to impossible to properly craft a training plan.

If you would like to teach something new, one of the ways that you can do so is by watching for your dog to do just that thing. For example, dogs often naturally sit down. If you would like them to sit when asked, you can watch for them to sit & then do what we call “mark & reinforce” that behavior. Marking means pinpointing the exact behavior that we liked, usually with some type of verbal or visual signal. Reinforcing means providing something that the learner finds of value (like a bit of delish food or a belly rub or high value reward). But, again, it all begins with observation!

ACTION: Watch your dog. See if you can make a list of at least 5 behaviors that your dog does naturally (like sitting or even tilting their head) that you like!