Clicker Training for Puppies article
- Posted on 5th September 2009
- in Featured
- by jvfairbanks
I found this to be a good article. I can’t stress enough the importance of the imprint stage and proper training for our labradoodles. They are very smart.
Clicker Training with Puppies April 2005
From Breeder resources
All puppies need to be trained. Regardless whether you keep a puppy to show or train for fieldwork or place him in a companion home or with another canine enthusiast, a puppy needs to learn right from wrong.
“One of the most important aspects of getting off to a good start with a new puppy is training,” says Keith Benson, president of Triple Crown Dog Academy in Hutto, Texas, near Austin. “Puppies are extremely impressionable, especially at 8 to 20 weeks of age, a time commonly referred to as the imprinting stage.”
Imprinting Stage
During this time good habits can be developed and bad ones avoided through positive, motivational training. One of the best ways to have fun training a puppy and see fast results is through clicker training, Benson says.
Clicker training uses a combination of scientific principles of classical conditioning from Ivan Pavlov and operant conditioning from B.F. Skinner.
“Pavlov’s dogs salivated at the sound of a bell, and Skinner trained pigeons to perform series of movements in order to receive their food reward,” he says. “Clicker training teaches your dog to associate an auditory signal, like the clicker, with a pleasurable reward, like food. Through repetition, a dog learns that the clicker means that what he did at that moment was correct and a reward is to come.”
So, what is clicker training and how does it work? The clicker is an effective tool because the sound is clear and consistent, and it helps bridge the time between when you mark the correct behavior and when the reward is given, Benson says. Because it is a reward-based method, the clicker can help a puppy become an active learner.
Timing and Motivation
Other aspects essential to training a puppy are timing and motivation. “Timing is important because dogs live in the present, and there is only a second for a puppy to associate cause with effect,” Benson says. “This means your reward for a job well done must be immediate for a puppy to make an accurate association with his action and the reward. Any lag in communication can result in confusion for a puppy or inadvertently teach him something unexpected. The clicker can actually help you mark the exact moment a puppy performs the correct behavior without a lag in communication time.”
“Motivation is finding something very appealing to a puppy for which he desires to work. Oftentimes food rewards are used in training because dogs have an inborn willingness to work for food, but you can also use praise, petting or a special toy reserved just for training sessions,” he says.
Remember that being patient and having fun are especially important when training a puppy, Benson says. “Training sessions should be kept short — about 15 minutes per session — and upbeat to prevent a puppy from getting bored. Praise and reward a puppy often when he performs an exercise well to help keep him motivated in your sessions.”
You should choose quiet locations free from distraction in which to hold training sessions so a puppy can focus his full attention on you, Benson says. “Don’t push too hard and only move onto more difficult exercise when you feel a puppy is ready. Along with basic obedience exercises, like sit, down and walking on a loose leash, you can also begin teaching a puppy how you would like him to behave as an adult. These exercises can include sitting to greet people instead of jumping up on them, staying off the furniture, and anything else that is important.”
Puppy Group Classes
Participating in group classes led by a professional trainer is a great way to teach a puppy essential obedience exercises, Benson says. “One benefit of group classes is having the input of a trainer to guide you in the right direction for training your puppy, as well as help with any problems or questions you may have.”
A puppy will also benefit by being able to socialize with other dogs and people, as well as learning to pay attention to you in an environment with distractions, he says. “Look for a group class in your area geared toward the specific training needs of puppies that offers positive motivation techniques like clicker training.”
“The first few months with a new puppy create a great opportunity to build the foundation of a lasting bond with a dog,” Benson says. “The training you do now will help guide a puppy in the direction of a well-mannered canine companion for life.”
