The dog clicker training is a common method used by many trainers to condition their pets to get a certain behavior and follow it with a reward. It is intended to associate the click noise with the reward for a good behavior.

Let's think of a practical example. Opportunities to train your dog, even in the puppy stage, are endless. Your puppy has a natural reaction to his surroundings, sniffing around stuff, sitting up when looking at you, lying down in his dog bed, etc. If you decide to start using this method of training, the best way to begin is by using the clicker when rewarding your puppy with a treat. He will actually come to you when he hears the click, because he's anxious to get a treat. Don't give it to him yet. As soon as he calms down and sits, quickly use the clicker and reward him with a treat. This "sit" command will take a while to be achieved but it will save you a lot of trouble later when your dog starts chasing people or cats.

If you use any more complex training instructions, you will have to use the clicker step by step. More exactly, if you want to teach your dog how to drop and roll, you should use the clicker a few times during this exercise: when the dog drops down to the ground, when he starts rolling, and when he finishes. And of course, another click when you give him a reward. If your dog learns the procedure, you can eventually leave out the first clicks and only click when you reward him.

The dog clicker training is also used to resolve some unwanted behaviors a dog might have. If he tends to run after other dogs or cats on the street, use the clicker as a signal to stop him and focus on you. Eventually, this bad behavior will disappear. You don't have to use violent or constraining measures, you don't have to hit your dog, you don't have to shout to him. A few clicks will do the job for you. If a clicker isn't a good tool to use for your dog, you can replace it with other tools, either visual (flash pens) or audible (whistle), etc.