Clicker training - Not For Dummies

When I say Not for Dummies I'm not referring to the dogs.

I suppose all I should say is that clearly understanding clicker training is no simple matter.

I constantly witness people attempting to simplify clicker training. In effect these people are training with a clicker not clicker training.

So lets have a go at uncovering the world of clicker training. Clicker training cannot be confused with using a clicker to train a specific behaviour. Clicker training is a method of encouraging the dog to be a fully active thinking participant in the training session which in turn allows the trainer to tap into the animals maximum potential. The dog learns how to learn - from then on, we strip the constraints of verbal language and introduce the dog to a world of positively motivated canine education.

Here are a few terms used frequently in behavioural circles:

I think the important thing to remember is that positive means adding and negative means removing.

Positive reinforcement: The act of adding desirable stimuli (E.g. reward the dog with treats when he sits.)

Negative punishment: The act of removing desirable stimuli.(E.g. stop playing with the puppy when he gets too rough )

Counter Conditioning: Also related to replacement behaviour, counter conditioning is the act of training an animal to display a behaviour that is opposed to a current unwanted behaviour (E.g. The dog is trained to offer the postman a paw instead of biting and chasing him out the garden)

Replacement behaviour: This is when an unwanted behaviour is replaced with an acceptable behaviour. The trigger for the unwanted behaviour is used as a trigger for the positive replacement behaviour.

Shaping behaviour: Building a particular behaviour by using a series of small steps to achieve it. Shaping allows you to create behaviour from scratch by drawing on your animal's natural ability to learn. Shaping creates behaviour without the use of physical control or corrections.

Desensitization: This is the process of gradually exposing the animal to a situation that provokes an unwanted behaviour but at an intensity low enough not to trigger the negative condition. Gradually the intensity is increased without provoking the unwanted behaviour until the animal accepts the situation.

Positive punishment: The act of adding stimuli that the dog dislikes (e.g. collar pops, verbal reprimands, physical punishment when the dog steps out of line)

Negative reinforcement: The act of removing stimuli that the dog dislikes - normally when the dog stops displaying unwanted behaviour (E.g. stop the electric collar pops when the dog stops pulling)

There is a lot of confusion around the association of negative reinforcement and positive punishment. This is mainly because in order to remove aversive stimuli (i.e. negative reinforcement) you have to initiate positive punishment. Take the example above – the electric collar pops are stopped when the dog stops pulling. The fact is that the collar pops must have been initiated when the dog started pulling - hence negative reinforcement and positive punishment tend to get confused.

Some conventional trainers use negative reinforcement or positive punishment to stop unwanted behaviours and non-compliance. This normally takes the shape of punishing unwanted behaviours using prong collars, electric collars, rattle bottles and water sprays to name a few.

I have a sympathetic approach to stopping unwanted behaviours. I tend not to go down the positive punishment route preferring to favour the implementation of replacement behaviours and reward based desensitization. My argument is that most pet owners have a lifetime to train their pet so a consistent positive reinforcement program normally produces the goods.
Clicker training is universally recognized as a mechanism used in desensitizing dogs to stressful situations.

Please remember : Clicker training is not about training a specific behaviour. Clicker training is a behavioural modification system, almost a mindset, intended to open the dogs mind to a world of positively motivated education. Let your dog see the big picture ......

Here are a few things to keep in mind when attempting to clicker train:

• Each Clicker training session should be viewed as an investment in the future learning ability of the dog. Don’t mix negative reinforcement with clicker training. (E.g. don’t reprimand him in one hand and click him in the other - clicker training has to be a positive experience)
  
• Clicker training is a behaviour modification process. The click marks the behavioural instant when a behaviour has been displayed that is enough to earn positive reinforcement.Hence the click must be administered accurately and consistently.
  
• The reward must be delivered as soon as possible after the click. You can hold out before you click but you must not hold back the reward. The association between the click and the reward is paramount. The minimum delay between the click and the reward is vital in reinforcing the behaviour.
  
• The dog should display a happy demeanour when he hears the click. (E.g. a tail wag or a look at the treat bag. The dog should be anticipating his reward) Don’t let the click be overshadowed by a lure or a prop, as this will confuse the dog and potentially numb the effect of the click.
  
• Make the dog work during the session. Don’t have the dog in a static position with the trainer running around. Let the dog produce the goods while the trainer administers consistent solid reinforcement. Using too many trainer aids or focusing too much on a learned behaviour will result in the dog getting passive and he will rely on hints from the trainer to perform. Let the dog work it out for himself – it will pay dividends in the long run.
  
• Focus on learning how to learn. Sacrifice instant compliance to gain momentum for accelerated future learning.
  

I learned to train dogs many years ago using traditional “clean and jerk” positive punishment methods. These methods focused on making the dog understand that he would be punished for unwanted behaviours. I know lots of people still train using these methods and enjoy a degree of success. Still it does not make it right. There are better ways.

Clicker training is the complete opposite of the traditional methods that I was raised with. Clicker training is a positive reward based training method that opens the dogs mind to an enjoyable lifetime of canine education.
Some people question its reliability. If this is the case, how did US military trainers manage to train dolphins to swim 30 miles through shoals of fish to stick a sensor on an enemy submarine and return for a click and treat? How did the same trainers manage to train starlings with cameras attached to them to fly across cities and press themselves against office windows to photograph the contents of the room. None of these animals were trained using negative methods so why do we need to apply negative reinforcement and positive punishment on our so-called best friends. Today assistance dogs, dogs for the disabled, guide dogs and even gun dogs are being trained using clickers.

My opinion is that clicker training is a philosophy that goes far beyond dog training. The ethos of clicker training promotes a positive way of living. Positive reinforcement embodies the principals of rewarding application, effort and hard work. Positive reinforcement can be applied to all our lives and interactions - give it a try - it may change the way you look at yourself and others around you.