Click and Treat Method - The Best Possible Option To Train Dogs

 

Click and Treat is one of the first major improvements in dog training since the spiked collars and the choke chains. In a very short span of time Click and Treat has revolutionized the training circuit. Several trainers have adopted it and currently, there might be over 10000 who are regularly using this method.

Click and Treat was initially used to train marine animals. Click and Treat involves breaking the training process into two simple parts- information and motivation. Though conventional trainers encourage these two steps too, they usually try teaching them in one go, which confuses the animals and delays the results.

The most common form of training is verbally praising the dog for good behavior while simultaneously motivating a repetition of the action. Though this is a good method, the dog takes a long time to understand what behavior caused the trainer to praise it. The process is made simpler by the Click and Treat technique. While in conventional training, a verbal praise, like "good boy", is used to welcome and action followed by the treat, in the Click and Treat technique, the clicker substitutes verbal praise and helps the dog identify the "good boy" behavior faster. This way the dog knows exactly what he is rewarded for.

First and foremost, the trainer needs to buy a clicker in order to Click and Treat. Clickers are available in almost all pet supply stores. Once bought, the training is easy for both dog and trainer.

Click and Treat training can be a secondary reinforcement, the primary reinforcements being water, food, play and physical affection. While walking the dog, the leach acts as the secondary reinforcement as the dog understands that it is not the leash that is taking it for a walk but the owner. The leash, however, tells the dog that it will guide him on where to go and where not. And so the dog reacts with good behavior to the leash to get a leisurely and pleasant walk. Similarly, in Click and Treat, on hearing the clicker, the dog knows he has performed a good action and there is a reward coming to him for every click that he hears. In this way, the clicker acts like a secondary reinforcement, for teaching him appropriate behavior.

Some of the advantages of Click and Treat are as follows-

1) A faster response than that for verbal praise. The dog can identify exactly which behavior the click is meant for, 

2) It replaces threats. While the dog is being motivated to hear, he can work without the fear of having a threat given to him whenever he does something bad. 

3) The trainer can be at any distance from the dog for the clicker to work. So proximity to the dog is not always required.

One way you can get started with the Click and Treat technique is to first stand before the dog. For about 20 minutes to half and hour, keep clicking the clicker and follow it by giving the dog a treat. After a while, the dog will familiarize itself with the clicking sound and every time he hears the click it will tell him that he has performed a good action. After the dog gets used to it, add commands like "stay" and "sit".

Click and Treat is a simple and consistent method of training that has achieved quick results. So all the trainers who love to train dogs and are looking for exciting new ways of training buy yourself a clicker and start clicking!

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Click-and-Treat-Method---The-Best-Possible-Option-To-Train-Dogs&id=1662273