Clicker dependent - Help!

As some of you know I am fostering a border collie.

He has settled in and is a lot calmer and more relaxed. However, I need to start some training with him. He cannot handle the sound from the clicker and I have tried a biro but he just skulks away from me and won't touch the food.

He is aggressive around food and hasn't got a clue how to play. If I throw a ball he chases it and then drops it and stares at it willing it to move. The same with his much loved frisbee

Since converting to clicker training, I am at a loss as to how to start to train without it.

Advice/links/ideas as to where to start with this dog please.

You could use a special sound or word instead of the clicker. Voice might not be quite as effective as a clicker but many people get by with using it Or find a different type of noise that doesn't upset him and use that the same way you would a clicker.

Is the aggression likely to be a problem using food to train him?

Yes, you're right I could use a word. He gets suspicious of any unusual sound that is associated with food and just goes to bed

I can do some training with using food but not around other dogs or people. Ideally, I would like to teach him to play.

I clicker trained Rupert to play tug so that might be worth a try with your boy. I never had any joy with fetch though, Rupe would fetch something I threw once and only once, if I threw it again then I could get it myself.

Is he actually frightened of the clicker or just suspicious coz it's new? What's the chances of him getting used to it if you clicked and just dropped a handful of yummy treats and then left him to it? Although I suppose you wouldn't know whether he'd get used to it or get worse unless you tried

Use a word that you don't use much in every day life. My first trainer used the word 'yesss'. She said it in a different tone of voice than the usual word yes.

I use good, which Kestral understands exactly the same as a clicker

I used "woo!" for Rupert It's something that's very hard to say in an angry or frustrated tone of voice which was hugely important with him. However going "woo!" in the middle of the street was a bit embarrassing

He is frightened of the clicker. He shot off to hide and was not interested in the food after that.

He is less scared of the biro, and just skulked away but quickly came back for the food..... I could persevere with that.

I think a lot of it comes down to my patience (or lack of). Without using a clicker it takes so long to train the simplest thing and I get an urge to talk to much.

We did progress with a ball being dropped a couple of feet away rather than the other end of the room. But I can't even take that out in the garden or I will be waiting out there all night watching him stare at the ball.

I use YESS for Polo if I don't have a clicker to hand. Probably not the best word to use really as I do tend to say it occasionally in every day use. I feel if I choose a different word for Barney, I am going to get so confused - it doesn't take much.

I am beyond getting embarrassed when dog training. I go into my own little world.

With fetch have you tried getting him to do the present first before throwing it?

Took us well over a week to get a reliable fetch out of kestral.
Started with the 'take it' then give.
Slowly she had to take it from the floor and give, which progressed to throwing the ball and bringing it back.

Initially it was all for a treat but now (most of the time) she does it for the fun