Clicker Training Your Dog - Are You Making a Big Mistake?

Most people know that clicker training your dog can be a fun and rewarding experience. However, some dog parents give up on clicker training too soon because they don't understand the basic fundamentals behind operant conditioning (the science behind how clicker training works).

In order to clicker train your dog effectively you need to avoid these common mistakes:

1. Not Using the Correct Treats

Commercial dog treats or pieces of kibble are ineffective training tools. If you knew your paycheck was going to be worth $25 at the end of the week, how motivated would you be to go to work? What about $1000? These treats rank pretty low on the totem pole in terms of "excitability".

"Real" human food is worth much more to your dog than boring pieces of treats and kibble. Just don't get too crazy. We're talking pea-size portions of food like cooked chicken, cheese, Cheerios, etc.

Plus--most commercial dog treats take way too long for your dog to chew. By the time he finishes eating the treat, he's already forgotten how he earned it!

2. Training a Dog on a Full Stomach

After you finish eating a spaghetti dinner do you order out for pizza? Hopefully not! This one should be pretty self-explanatory. If you expect your dog to work for food he'll be a lot more excited about the idea if he's hungry.

3. Using the Clicker to Fix a Problem

The clicker is used for teaching a new behavior, not for stopping a behavior the dog has already learned how to do. Does your dog jump up on people? Then you need to teach him this trick: Sitting When People Come to the Door is More Rewarding Than Jumping.

4. Using the Clicker as a Remote Control

The clicker should never be used as a remote control to get your dog's attention or to get him to come to you. Yes, that works pretty well at first but eventually the clicker will lose it's great power as a source of information for your dog.

Instead, the clicker should always be used a camera, capturing the exact moment in time when you see your dog doing something right.

Unfortunately, these common mistakes are just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, 9 out of 10 "professional" dog trainers do not understand the science correctly! It's no wonder so many dog parents have become frustrated with clicker training!

As a licensed veterinary technician, I recommend Clicker Training: The 4 Secrets of Becoming a Super Trainer, as the #1 resource for learning how to clicker train your dog with the least amount of setbacks. If you think about it, clicker training your dog is a lot like a race car. Great speed potential but you must know how to drive it!

I've found that most other websites and books just hand you the keys, put the pedal to the metal, and assume you won't end up driving you and your dog into a wall. The authors of Clicker Training Secrets are much smarter than that! They give you the keys, but also supply a road-map and don't shift gears until both you and your dog are ready.

If you're ready for the winning track visit http://www.clickertrainingsecrets.com today