hi zoundz. Try working on one thing at a time. Depending on what ur teaching, click when the dog performs the action. I find it works better if you wait for the dog to offer the action. Once the dog knows that the click means a treat he'll be offering you all sorts of things. They generally try everything they've learnt before to see if it works.
I was testing the other day to see if i could get indie to shake her head, i started off by rewarding her for looking to either side, then after she was offering that reliably, i only clicked and treated when she looked both ways,then eventually to left right left. After a few sessions she was shaking her head on command.
If your trying to teach a behaviour that isnt simple like sit, but something like a retrieve, then you click for any behaviour offered that is like what you want. So you would click for going toward the ball, click for sniffing the ball, picking it up, you just gradually raise the bar so to speak.

As SB says, once the dog is reliably offering the behaviour, you can put it on cue.

Sorry, dont know if ive explained that particuarly well,im rubbish at explaining things. But timing is everything, so a good idea to read up on it before u begin

Dont shoot the dog by Karen Pryor is worth a read if ur interested as it covers clicker training and lots more.

It is easier than it sounds Zounds

It is a good idea first to 'load' the clicker. This means having a pile of small treats (plus your dog of course ) and just click & reward several times so that the dog associates the click with a reward.

To use a simple example: if you want to teach a dog to sit then when he voluntarily offers that behaviour you click the instant his bottom hits the ground and give him a reward. Repeat that several times over a couple of days. Then when the dog has understood that sitting brings a click and a click brings a reward then you put the verbal cue on it. So, as soon as his bottom touches ground you say "sit", click & reward. Then, once he understands the word & associates it with the action, you can move on to commanding 'sit' from a stand or whatever.

The same principle applies to the teaching of any behaviour

Thanks - yeah I think I will try it!

xx

I love Clicker training its Fun for the Dog and the owner....Meg has already Come a Long way with her Clicker, She Sits to it, Remember She is 11wks and She Gives a Paw as Long as You Remember To Use it Everytime, And Reword.
Julie

i really like the idea of clicker,but in practise find it really haRD.
i find it hard to get my timing right,& forget to click or forget not to speak!!!!
i tend to do it sort of modified with a click word, "yes" instead of a click.