Dog Clicker Trainer

Having started out my clicker training journey with horses, it was quite obvious I would use clicker training to train my new dog some years ago.  Once you start Clicker training and see the results, its nigh on impossible to train any other way.

Clicker Training

Clicker training is a way to say yes to our dogs.  I don´t see training as being about dominance and submission, whether that relates to human, horse or dog trainees.  Rather it should be about partnerships, working together to figure out how to teach our animal what it is we would like to them to do and how we would like them to behave.

"Dogs are very, very good learners for the whole of their lives. They welcome learning, relish problem solving and finish satisfied happy dogs.

This is a process which will enhance and deepen your relationship with your dog, through greater understanding, good communication and with absolute trust." Kay Laurence.

Clicker training helps us, as trainers, understand what it is we are trying to teach to our dogs.  If we can´t understand what it is we are trying to teach and how we want to teach it then our dogs have no chance of getting it right.

Dogs learn so much faster with clicker training which means we, as handlers, get reinforced much faster and more frequently as well making it a fun way to train for dog and handler.

The Click

The click brings clarity to the training, a clarity that can be missing or inconsistent if we were to use our voice.  With our voice we can change the tone we use without realising it, if we use longer words they can cover a few seconds of behaviour that we are trying to tell the dog they got right.  This inconsistency, and more, is eliminated with the clicker.

To begin with the clicker might seem like an inconvenience, another thing to get to grips with in training, but once you get the hang of juggling your dog, the treats and remembering what you want the dog to do for you.  But after a while you not only see the benefits of the clicker, you just treat it naturally as part of your training kit.

All our training (classes and 1-2-1 lessons) use the clicker training philosophy, and you can pick up the clicker when you are ready to add it in to your training.  We can also recommend reading materials to suit your needs and your goals.  Feel free to ask us for recommendations.

If you would like to enquire about clicker training lessons or classes for you and your dog contact us at dogtraining@smaarthorses.co.uk or using the contact form.