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The click is a marker signal
Clicker training is a system for teaching behaviour with positive reinforcement. You use a marker signal to tell the animal when it's doing the action that will pay off. The system was first used by dolphin trainers who needed a way to teach behaviour without using physical force.
No corrections or punishment required
In traditional training, you tell an animal what to do, make that behaviour happen (using force if necessary), reward good results, and punish mistakes. In clicker training you watch for the behaviour you like, mark the instant it happens with a click, and pay off with a treat. The treat may be food, a pat, praise, or anything the learner enjoys. If the learner makes a mistake you wait and let them try again.
Replacing the clicker with praise
Clicker trainers focus on building behaviour, not stopping behaviour. Instead of yelling at the dog for jumping up, you click it for sitting. Instead of kicking the horse to make it go, you click it for walking. Then, click by click, you "shape" longer sits, or more walking, until you have the results you want. Once the behaviour is learned, you keep it going with praise and approval and save the clicker and treats for the next new thing you want to train.
It's fun and exciting for pets and people
Animals quickly learn that the marker signal means, "Something good is coming." Then they realise they can make you click by repeating their behaviour. They become enthusiastic partners in their own training. Clicker training is exciting for animals and fun for us. And it's easy to do. You might get results on the very first try.
Karen Pryor
www.clickertraining.com/training/clicker_basics
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