The Best Dog Training Clickers (Review) in 2020

What to Consider When Buying a Dog Training Clicker

You may think that a clicker is such a simple device that they are all the same but that is not the case. There are some subtle differences that can make your life a lot easier - or harder. Here are the main things that you should consider before you head out and buy a clicker.

• How big is the clicker?

Dog training clickers need to be small enough to fit in your pocket because you will need one with you at all times. It also needs to fit into the palm of your hand. Check out the size provided by the manufacturer in the description. If you have small hands, you may prefer a smaller clicker. A textured surface is also a good idea as it will improve your grip.

• How loud is the clicker?

Your choice of clicker depends on the personality of your pet and where you are going to be doing the training. If you read a training guide on clickers, it will say that you should go somewhere quiet so that your pooch can clearly hear the click. However, sometimes this is just not possible so you may want to get a clicker with a loud click that can be heard above some background noise. If your dog is nervous, a loud clicker will not suit them. It would be better to choose a pet clicker that has a low volume to prevent them from being startled.  You want them to be focused on the training session not cowering in the corner!

• How easy is it to operate the clicker?

It's a good idea to choose clickers that have an ergonomic design. When you are training your pet, you will be able to press the button easily and quickly. Some of the best clickers can be used by people who have disabilities and can be operated with other parts of the body.

• What if you loose the clicker?

However careful you are, it is possible that you will drop the clicker and could end up spending hours hunting for it in long grass! Most clickers are made in bright colors so you will be able to spot them easily.

• Does the clicker attach to you?

To try to prevent you losing the clicker, many of them come with accessories that you can use to attach them to your body. This leaves your hands free when you are training your pet. Some attach to the finger, others have a wrist strap and some come with lanyards. Have a think about which would suit you best.

Benefits of Using Dog Training Clicker

More and more dog owners are discovering the benefits of pet clicker training. Even though the the price of even a good clicker is very low, they work remarkably well, no matter what breed of dog you have. Many dog training books and experts now recommend them. If you are still not convinced, here's a summary of the main benefits.

• Positive reinforcement

Training a dog using positive reinforcement via clicker results in a confident and happy dog that is not afraid of making mistakes. This results in good manners and makes it less likely that your dog will display aggression and other unwanted behaviors. They work for all breeds and all temperaments.

• Rewarding for dog Moms and Dads

There is nothing more frustrating that a training method that does not yield results. You won't get this problem with clicker training. You will clearly be making progress week by week and this is a very satisfying way to train your dog. When you use clickers, dog training will progress more smoothly and quickly. This is true if you are an experienced dog owner and if you have never owned a dog before.

• Speed and efficiency

We all want a well-trained dog but very few of us have got hours and hours to dedicate to being a dog trainer. We need fast results! All dogs train at different speeds but most owners find that a clicker significantly speeds up the process. With just a few minutes of training a day, your pet will soon get the hang of it. There is some research to suggest that clicker training is faster than marker word training.

• It forgives mistakes

A training guide that recommends negative forms of training such as choke chains and correction words is now very outdated and these methods are considered cruel by many experts. They may have some degree of success but it is easy to get it wrong and end up causing confusion and fear. The worse thing that can happen during clicker training is that you will click at the wrong time which will hurt no one.

• It's excellent for complex training

If you want to move from basic training to teaching your pooch more complex tasks or some agility routines, you will find that dog clickers are invaluable. You can precisely time the click so that your dog knows exactly what they have done right. The timing in this sort of precise training is essential. Dog agility trainers find then very useful when combined with a target stick.

Clicker Training Tips

It would be useful to refer to a training guide for clickers before you start. You can get a clicker training guide from your vet, online or you may find one supplied with the clicker itself. Here are our top tips for successful clicker training.

• You have to start with a clicker-treat association. Many owners forget that this is the most important stage! If your dog does not associate the clickers with a treat, the training is not going to work. For a dog, the best initial treat is almost always food!
• Start off somewhere quiet. Your pooch must be able to hear the click when you are giving the treat! Go somewhere quiet to start the training.
• Watch the calories. As you start to teach your four-legged friend that a click means they are going to get a tasty treat, you will need to use quite a few treats! This will need to be taken out of your dog's daily calorie allowance or they could put on too much weight.
• Only click once. It is easy to get carried away and click too many times. You just need to make one noise with the clicker and give a treat.
• Be careful when you click. Never use the clicker when your pet is doing something that they should not be doing! It can be tempting to do it to gain their attention but resist that temptation!
• Keep training short and sweet. A training session of around two minutes in length is ideal. Any longer and your pooch will get bored. A little and often approach is always best.
• Start simple. Always start using a clicker for simple commands. Commands like 'sit' and 'stay' are a good place to start.  You can 'lure' your pooch by moving a toy over their head until they sit.
• Be quick! You must operate the clicker as soon as your dog's butt touches the floor! They need this rapid response to be able to connect the action with the click.
• Introduce a command after the lure. Once your pooch has mastered the lure, you can add in the command.  Eventually you can drop the lure.
• Lengthen the sessions. As your pet gets older and more experienced, you can use the clickers for longer training practices. They can last for up to 15 minutes but no longer than that.
• Use the clicker only. Don't forget that your aim is to use the clicker only without the treat. The sound of the clicker should be enough to get your pooch to do what you want them to do.

Dog Training Clicker FAQ:

Q: What is a dog training clicker?

A: A pet clicker is simply a device that you hold in your hand and which is able to make a clicking sound that your dog will come to recognize. It is usually made of plastic and has a strip of metal inside. When you press down, it makes a click. Clicker training is an effective way to train your dog. It is a reward based training approach but introduces another step in between your dog carrying out the desired behavior and you giving your dog a treat. It can be hard to get the treat to your dog quickly enough so they may not associate the right behavior with the treat. A clicker gives you a fast way of reacting to good behavior.

Once you have taught your dog to associate the click with the treat, you can start using a clicker on its own, without the treat. The click itself becomes the reward.

Q: What age should I start clicker training?

A: You can use clicker training on a dog of any age but it is best to start clicker training dogs when they are pups. When you first get your pup home, give them some time to settle in and to feel less anxious about their new surroundings. This can take a few days. Once they feel confident that they can trust you and that their basic physical needs will be met, you can start the basics of clicker training.

Most puppies arrive at their new homes at around 10 weeks of age and you can start clicker training shortly after that. Use it for very simple and basic commands to begin with and take your time. If you build solid foundations now, it will help the training process in the future.

Q: Do I need to buy more than one clicker?

A: The manufacturers of training clickers do all they can to help you not to lose them! They make them easy to hold so that you are less likely to drop them. They use brightly colored materials so that if you do drop them you can find them easily. They also often supply them with a means of attaching them to your body such as a wrist strap or a clip to attach to a belt loop.

Despite this, it is highly likely that you will lose at least one clicker during your training sessions. As with all small devices, it is easy to put them down and forget where you put them! If you had just started making some progress with your clicker training, this will be very frustrating. There could be a delay whilst you get another clicker and that will interrupt training. For that reason, it is a good idea to have at least two in your home at any one time!

Our Top Pick

Our top pick for the best dog clicker is both compact so that you can hold it easily and brightly colored so that you can spot it if you drop it in long grass. It comes with an elasticated finger loop to secure it to your hand.

It will fit into your pocket and is loud enough to gain your dog's attention. There is also a useful guide to how to use the clicker so that you can get the most out of your purchase.