All About Rewards
With clicker training, we often use a small, tasty food treat as the reward
promised by the clicker sound. However, each animal will determine what
is rewarding to them. One animal may find a liver treat a very high-value
reward, while another may prefer a bit of cheese. The reward you use must be
reinforcing to the animal you are working with, and each animal will have a
hierarchy of rewards. As the trainer, experiment and find several things your dog
likes and determine which he or she likes best and least.
Always prepare for a training session by gathering a few different types of
rewards. Small, semi-moist bites of cheese, liver, etc., are good choices to
try because many dogs desire them and they don't require much chewing.
Consider your dog's diet, calorie count and any allergies when choosing
food rewards. Plan the food as part of their daily allowance to maintain a
balanced diet.
Don't forget other types of rewards such as attention, petting, praise and access
to friends. These can be very valuable and useful as part of your training. While
the tasty treat is often easiest and the best choice for clicker training, don't rule
out the life rewards!
Practice Your Timing
If you are new to clicker training you will want to practice your timing away from
your dog before you attempt any training. If you want your dog to understand
the click, your timing of the click needs to be
precisely at the moment he is performing the
wanted behaviour.
You will need your Clicker and a tennis ball (or
similar ball) to practice.
• Hold the Clicker in one hand and the ball in
the other.
• Toss the ball and click at the exact moment it
hits the floor.
• As your timing improves, try to click the first
bounce and the second bounce, etc.
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