Clicker Training for Dogs: Master Basic Training, Common Cues, and Fun Tricks in 15 Minutes a Day Read online

  This book is dedicated to Turner, Jenga, and Rupert.

  Copyright © 2021 by Rockridge Press, Emeryville, California

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  Interior and Cover Designer: John Calmeyer

  Art Producer: Sue Bischofberger

  Editor: Brian Sweeting

  Production Editor: Matt Burnett

  Production Manager: Jose Olivera

  Illustration © 2021 Remie Geoffroi.

  Cover photography © Samantha Gehrmann/Stocksy (dog) and © Studioshots/Alamy Stock Photo (clicker). Interior photography used under license from shutterstock.com.

  ISBN: Print 978-1-64876-939-9

  eBook 978-1-64876-271-0

  R0

  Contents

  Introduction

  PART I An Introduction to Dog Training

  One The Basics of Dog Behavior and Training

  Two Clicker Training 101

  Three Clicker Training FAQs

  PART II Let’s Start Training: 50 Step-by-Step Exercises

  Four Basic Cues

  1 Sit

  2 Down

  3 Stand

  4 Name/Attention/Eye Contact

  5 Leave It

  6 Stay

  7 Gentle

  8 Off

  9 Hand Target/Touch

  10 Drop

  Five Practical Skills

  11 Go to Your Spot

  12 Polite Entrance

  13 Polite Greetings with People

  14 Polite Greetings with Other Dogs

  15 Handling

  16 Automatic Eye Contact

  17 Personal Space

  18 Alone Time

  19 Loose Leash Walking

  20 Heel

  Six Solving Problem Behaviors

  21 Barking for Attention

  22 Alert Barking

  23 Defensive Barking

  24 Puppy Nipping

  25 Housetraining

  26 Crate Games

  27 Hidden Treasures

  28 Street Sweeping and Counter Surfing

  29 Pulling on the Leash

  30 Leave It and Drop with Household Items

  Seven Fun Tricks

  31 Spin

  32 Paw

  33 Roll Over

  34 Bow

  35 Sit Pretty

  36 Head Tilt

  37 Pose for a Photo

  38 Up

  39 Dance

  40 Catch

  Eight Games

  41 Hide-and-Seek

  42 Find It

  43 Cup Game

  44 Obstacle Course

  45 Pac-Man

  46 Nose Target

  47 Paw Target

  48 Get It/Fetch

  49 Get a Toy

  50 Silly to Settle

  A Final Note

  Resources

  References

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Introduction

  My journey with clicker training began during my apprenticeship at Andrea Arden Dog Training. I was shadowing a class and became absolutely fascinated with the little button. I’m a kinesthetic and visual learner, which made clicker training particularly attractive. The concept was simple: Press the button to make a click when your dog does something you like; reward them after the click.

  I had just brought Rupert, my Yorkie/Silky terrier, to New York City from Florida. When we arrived, I realized that the city would be an adjustment for him, and the six months he had spent in a glass box at a pet store had not helped his socialization skills. I’d lost my mom about a month before I came back to the city. She had bought Rupert for me as a present, which made him incredibly important to me. I was determined to learn more about dog training to help him adjust to the city. When I introduced Rupert to the clicker, I saw excitement and motivation in him that I hadn’t seen before. Over a few weeks, I was able to teach him a dozen skills with the clicker, and I saw him becoming more confident because of our training. I learned more about clicker training over the years through various courses, seminars, and books. My passion for sharing my knowledge on clicker training and positive dog training led to my career as a professional dog trainer.

  Positive dog training has become more popular over the last 30 years, but many pet owners and trainers still use harmful punishment techniques to train their dogs. If nothing else, I wrote this book to teach people that they can train their dog using force-free techniques. Dogs are incredibly intelligent animals who thrive on learning new things, if you give them the chance. Many people focus on trying to correct or stop undesirable behaviors, but doing so often results in a stressed, fearful dog. When you shift your thinking to setting your dog up for success and reinforcing desirable behavior, your dog will learn how to behave and will feel motivated to learn.

  The first three chapters of this book explain the basic scientific methodology and history of clicker training. To have success with clicker training, you’ll need to understand why it works and how to use the clicker. The later chapters will teach you, step by step, how to train reliable behaviors and skills with the clicker. If possible, work through this book in order. The skills in the first few chapt
ers set the foundation for the later chapters. Throughout the book, you’ll find useful tips and advice to help you along the way. For the best results, plan to spend at least 15 minutes a day training with your dog.

  PART I

  An Introduction to Dog Training

  Behaviors that have a desirable outcome for the learner will be repeated. Behaviors that have an undesirable outcome for the learner will not. These two statements are the core of learning. Understanding how your dog thinks and learns is vital to your relationship. This chapter breaks down the roots of dog training and learning theory to help you be the best teacher possible for your pup.

  CHAPTER ONE

  The Basics of Dog Behavior and Training

  ALL DOGS ARE good dogs. They may have habits or impulses to behave in ways that aren’t desirable to humans, but their behavior is often a result of their natural canine instincts. Through positive reinforcement training, you can help your dog learn how to control their impulses and adapt to their environment. With guidance, all dogs are capable of learning.

  Human’s Best Friend

  Dogs are more than pets: They are family. When a person brings a dog into their home, they're making a commitment to care for them. In return, their dog gives them their companionship, love, and affection. The deep bond and understanding between the two species make them a perfect fit for each other. Both species thrive on socialization, play, and connection.

  A Very Brief History of the Human–Dog Relationship

  Historians speculate that human and dog relationships began around 15,000 years ago. People used dogs to help them hunt, and in return, dogs would be fed. Over time, people wanted dogs for many different purposes.

  Many different types of dogs are bred for specific jobs. Using hunting dogs to help find and catch prey dates back 15,000 years. Herding dogs were first used more than 10,000 years ago to help with cattle and sheep. For more than 4,000 years, sled dogs have helped with hunting, towing, and transporting. As people worked more closely with dogs, they learned how loyal and intelligent they are and how much they enhance a person’s life. What started off as a working relationship developed into much more than that: companionship.

  How Our Bond with Dogs Grew Over Time

  At first, dogs were primarily kept for work; people didn’t have the means to keep companion pets. Over time, dogs’ roles shifted from worker to companion, and they became domesticated by the process of selective breeding (that is, breeding for specific physical and behavioral characteristics). Breeders began to focus more on selecting personality and temperament traits rather than looks. This change led to dogs being bred with genes geared toward adapting more easily to the human world.

  Because of this domestication, dogs are attracted to life with people. Dogs who live in safe, loving environments often have all they need from their family to live a happy, healthy life. Dogs also have evolved to bond with humans emotionally. You are the light of your dog’s life. They depend on you for everything. When your dog has shelter, food, water, enrichment, and a rich emotional and physical life, they are willing and able to adapt to their new home and your life with ease. It’s a win-win.

  How Training Helps Solidify This Bond

  Getting to know and understand your dog is key to your relationship. Training is a way for you to learn about your dog while they learn about you. Dogs communicate most often with their body language. Learning how to read your dog’s expressions can tell you a lot about how they’re feeling at a given moment.

  For example, a happy dog often has a wagging tail; a loose, wiggly body; and an open, relaxed mouth. An anxious dog will have a tucked tail and wide eyes, and they may pant. Understanding how your dog expresses themself will help you both feel confident and secure in your relationship. Dedicating time to training your dog gives you a chance to bond with them and reinforce behaviors that will help them succeed. Training is all about building a deep understanding and a trusting relationship. Developing a language with your dog through training makes communication simple and effective.

  Training Plays into How Dogs Think and Learn

  Reinforcement drives behavior, and the behaviors you positively reinforce will be repeated more often. Too often, people wait until their dog does something they don’t like and then they try to find a way to stop the unwanted behavior. If you fall into the pattern of waiting until your dog is “misbehaving” to give them attention, they will continue to misbehave to get attention.

  Help set up your dog for success before they misbehave. For example, give your dog projects, such as food toys, to work on when they need stimulation but you need to focus elsewhere.

  Training Is How We Communicate with Our Dogs

  Training is a language that you and your dog speak together, and it allows you to guide them with confidence and ease. People can interpret a dog’s body language cues and behavior patterns, but dogs also have an incredible ability to pick up on our patterns, and they learn what our body language and tone of voice signify.

  When I’m training, sometimes I’ll think about a cue in my head, and my Aussie, Jenga, will guess it before I even ask. She is not psychic, but she interprets the tiniest details about my body language; she sees movements that I don’t even realize I’m making.

  A Well-Trained Dog Feels Happy, Safe, and Connected to Their Family

  A dog who has been taught how to behave in a human world is a confident, relaxed dog. You are your dog’s biggest source of information. When your dog is uncertain, they will likely look to you for clues about what to do. Be a kind leader. Spend time learning about your dog and how they like to engage with you. Spending time training your dog allows both of you to learn about each other.

  Training Is Important for a Healthy Dog

  Positive learning keeps your dog’s mind and body active and healthy. Dogs who train positively are less stressed, more confident, and adapt to new environments more quickly and easily than dogs who are trained with punishment techniques. A study conducted to observe the differences between positive training and punishment-based training showed that dogs who were trained using punishment techniques exhibited many signs of stress and anxiety compared to the positively trained dogs. The positively trained dogs offered eye contact confidently, whereas the others avoided it. Dogs who have positive guidance from their owners live happier lives.

  Exercise

  Just like humans, dogs’ bodies function best when they exercise regularly. Going for a walk or run, playing, and training are all ways you can give your dog physical activity. When your dog is training, they often work muscles that may not be used on a day-to-day basis. Walking is a great way to exercise your dog, but just like people, dogs need variety in their exercise routines. For puppies, working on a basic exercise, such as a Sit or Down, takes a lot of focus and coordination. Puppy push-ups (repetitions of Sits and Downs) are a great way to tire your puppy out.

  Mental Stimulation

  Dogs also need mental stimulation for their happiness and well-being. If you leave it to your dog to find ways to entertain themself, they’ll often choose activities that you aren’t keen on. Boredom can lead to destructive behavior and anxiety, and they’ll often go for forbidden items such as socks, pillows, or furniture.

  Give your dog opportunities to burn some mental energy every day to prevent boredom through short training sessions lasting 5 to 10 minutes. If you can’t give your dog your attention, give them a food toy or puzzle to work on. Dogs love to have jobs. Help your dog understand what their job is in your life.

  Socialization

  Dogs are social creatures just as humans are. Because you are your dog’s guide, it’s important for you to spend time socializing them to all the people, places, and things they’re likely to interact with on a regular basis. Give your dog as many positive experiences as you can with different dogs, people, places, and sounds, and as early on as possible. Socialization work is possible at all ages, but it may take a bit longer with adult dogs, especially
if they have a traumatic past. Puppies are the most malleable because they’re still developing.

  If Training Is Key to a Good Relationship with Your Pet, Why Is It So Hard?

  Training is challenging because, for most behaviors, it takes time for dogs to become fully trained. There is no magic fix. There are so many moments I wish I could just talk to the dog I’m working with! People depend on verbal communication skills, and your dog relies on visual communication skills. At the end of the day, you’re both doing your best to try to understand each another.

  Instead of having to problem-solve when things go wrong, teach your dog good habits from the start, and they will be less likely to offer undesirable behaviors. Building good habits takes time.

  Find ways to break down into steps what you’re communicating to your dog. Every goal can be broken down into smaller goals. Reward tiny steps in the direction of the desired behavior. Be patient and remember that tiny accomplishments accumulate to create big accomplishments.

  It Takes Time, Patience, and Commitment

  Reliable training comes from repetition and determination. If you’re feeling frustrated, take a step back and try to see if there’s any way you can be clearer to your dog. Take a deep breath and try again. If your dog is frustrated, stop and let them calm down for a few minutes. Give them water, a potty opportunity, and a play break. If they seem tired, end your training session and try again later. Remember to go “back to kindergarten” when in doubt, and start again from the beginning of learning the cue.

  WHAT TRAINING ISN’T

  Training is not a quick fix for behavior problems. Intimidation and force are not helpful or healthy to use with your dog during training sessions. Training is not about becoming the “boss” of your dog. Your dog isn’t working because they think it makes you happy—they’re working because they think their actions will pay off. In a lesson, my client’s dog jumped up on me when I walked in, and she yelled “No!” When we sat down, I asked her, “What do you think ’No!’ means to your dog?” She paused for a moment. “It means don’t do that.” I explained to her that ’No!’ does not tell her dog anything helpful. In fact, ’No!’ does not mean anything to her dog. ’No!’ is just a sound. I asked her to think of what she would like her dog to do instead. “How about Sit?” I explained that she needed to focus instead on what she wanted her dog to do, and work on reinforcing those behaviors. “So, I should reward the things my dog does that I like?” “Yes! Exactly,” I said. “By doing so, in the future your dog will offer sitting instead of jumping because it paid off for them.”