Clicker Training Questions

My dog behaves perfectly in the house but what about outside with distractions?

The majority of dogs are very focused in the home but when out and about, there is too much to concentrate on and their attention disappears!

We now want to up the stakes for his behaviour again by introducing some distractions. To start with, upgrade the treats to get more attention!

You can introduce any distraction you like but one at a time until you are confident (e.g. play with a toy while leaving your dog in a stay). It’s important to do this distraction proofing at home – don’t wait for chance meetings outside as there is a good chance you will fail. Don’t raise the odds too much – remember shaping!

My dog responds perfectly to the command – do I still need to use the clicker?

No. Once you are happy your dog knows the verbal command, you can fade out the clicker (once every 5 repetitions, then 10 etc.). The clicker is just a learning tool to get the end result.

My dog doesn’t like the sound of the clicker – it frightens him.

Some dogs can be nervous of the noise so the aim is to progress the positive association.

Start off with the clicker in a towel or glove to muffle the sound. Use it in exactly the same way and when your dog is happy, reduce the muffling.

He will soon realise a click is a good thing!

Finally - The Golden Rules!

Always train pets separately – remember the click has to pin point the exact behaviour. Two dogs will not perform at the same rate.

Remember to keep the treats out of your pockets;

The click must come WHEN the behaviour is performed, not after;

Vary the click and treat to keep your dog guessing;

Concentrate on a single behaviour until you are satisfied that your dog knows it.

If in a bad mood – don’t train!

Always work to a dogs concentration span – push too far and you will lose the results.


Not all dogs learn the same way so if you find you are having difficulties with a particular exercise, let me know and I'll work around it for you.

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