Clicker training or operant conditioning

What is clicker training?
Clicker training is a training method that has first been used to modify the behaviour of dolphins. From there on, it has been used with all kinds of animals, of all ages and of all sizes. There are dog training courses that specialise in clicker training, since it has proved to be a very effective and humane way of training dogs. It is a method that does not use physical force to punish or correct an undesired behaviour, but reinforces the "right" behaviour using rewards.

The scientific term for clicker training is "operant conditioning" and is distinguished from "classical conditioning". The most famous example for classical conditioning are Pavlov's dogs: Dogs salivate when presented with food. Pavlov added a ticking metronome when the dogs were presented with food. Of course they still salivated. After a while, however, they also salivated when presented with the ticking sound of the metronome on its own: They had been conditioned to the sound of the metronome.

Similarly, a dog that was mistreated as a puppy with a stick is likely to show aggressive or frightened behaviour whenever he sees someone holding a stick, albeit for playing purposes. There is a strong association in his mind between "stick" and "pain".

On the other hand, operant conditioning means that a behaviour can be incremented if there is a positive consequence or a reward to be gained. Skinner performed a well-known experiment that is an excellent example for operant conditioning: He caged a hungry rat in a box (the famous Skinner box). Inside the box there was a lever, and when the rat pressed it, a pellet of food appeared. Soon the rat learnt that it could obtain food by pressing the lever.

Clicker training is operant conditioning because it marks a desired behaviour the instant it happens and rewards it. It is a very precise form of communication and the dog has a clear idea of which behaviour triggered the reward. This means that the dog (or any other animal) can actively learn new behaviour or modify adopted behaviour. There is an intention behind its behaviour, because the dog wants to be rewarded and is aware of the process.

In summary: Whereas classical conditioning refers to behaviour caused by antecedent conditions, operant conditioning marks a change or modification of voluntary behaviour using positive consequences of actions.

For more information on clicker training, click here.

In the next part of the article we will have a look at some common questions about clicker training and how it is done.

Common questions

So let's have a look at some frequently asked questions about clicker training:

What is a clicker?
A clicker is a small device that makes a clicking sound when activated. Usually it is made of a thin piece of metal held in a shell. The metal is a little twisted, and pressing one end of the device makes it pop out of alignment. When you let go, the metal returns to its initial position, thereby producing a clicking sound.

For more information on clickers, click here.

Why use a clicker?
Humans tend to talk too much and use too many meaningless words (at least for a dog...). But compared to the human voice, a clicking sound has other great advantages: It is a unique sound that never changes, it marks the precise moment of the correct action, and it is has one meaning only: a reward is on its way.

How does clicker training work?
There is an easy three-step-formula for clicker training: Get the behaviour, mark it, and then reinforce it. In practice, this means that a clicker trainer first uses the clicker to mark the desired behaviour at the exact moment the behaviour occurs. This is fundamental. There is a highly accurate saying in clicker training: "You get what you click for", so pay attention to the correct timing, otherwise you will confuse your dog and he will not recognise which behaviour was the "correct" one. You can also think of clicking as taking a picture with a camera, or as a surgeon's scalpel making a precise cut.

The last step is to give your dog a reward. The dog will now start to repeat the same action he performed when he heard the click since he wants to get another reward. The most common reward is food, but petting or playing are alternatives that work also. In many dog training courses you will find additional information on clicker training, or you can contact a qualified dog trainer to work with your dog if you do not feel comfortable to clicker train your dog on your own.

What about cues?
You should not use a cue or command before the dog has clearly demonstrated that he knows which behaviour causes a click and reward. Once he gets to this point, you can start what trainers call "introducing the cue" by saying or pointing a command before the dog does the desired behaviour. Then, you use the clicker only if the dog performed correctly after you gave the cue, otherwise there will be no click. This way, the dog learns to listen to the command and to associate it with a click and reward.

If you want to find out more about clicker training, click here.