Is it better to train dogs with a clicker or yes?
Mireille Koss
2025-07-10 14:04:58
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A marker is a signal we use for our dogs the instant they show us a desirable behaviour. A marker can be any short and clear sound that we are able to make to one syllable words (such as ‘YES’) or a clicker. There are advantages to both. Whichever you choose to do your marker needs to be consistent, which can be more difficult to achieve with a verbal marker. Verbal is easier if you are new to dog training and if you do not have a trainer supporting you while the clicker will speed up your training and help to teach more sophisticated behaviours. When using training for rehabilitating aggression I would always recommend a clicker to help build confidence in the behaviours. I use both clickers and verbal markers when training my dogs depending on what I am teaching.
Dalton Hickle
2025-07-08 13:42:38
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The clicker does offer a unique sound and when paired correctly with food it can become a very powerful training tool. Data from this study provide strong evidence that the rate of novel behavior acquisition is significantly faster for dogs trained with the clicker bridging stimulus in comparison to dogs trained with the verbal word “good.” As a training tool the clicker can be hard for new dog owners and trainers to grasp; it is just another thing in their hand they have to focus on. The clicker can be that “one too many item” they have to coordinate that throws them for a loop. Now the ‘yes,’ or verbal marker, can be easier in some cases for pet dog owners and new dog trainers to grasp. Everyone knows how to say ‘yes’. Concentrating on using the word ’yes’ correctly can help prevent nervous dog owners second-guessing what they are doing, confusing their dog in the process, and does not need to be held or coordinated with the leash, treats etc. Keep it as a training tool, condition it correctly and it can be a great option. On that note I have observed that when the ‘yes’ is used correctly it tends to delay by a second the delivery of food to the dog ensuring that the condition process is not done simultaneously or backwards. To be most effective the click or ‘yes should be started and finished before the delivery of the treat, this is called trace conditioning and is the most effective conditioning method.
Jasper Zulauf
2025-06-25 18:12:01
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You can use a clicker during training to help your dog recognise when they’ve carried out a behaviour that will lead to a reward. Using a clicker can be more predictable for your dog, and they will likely more strongly associate the sound with getting a treat. It’s easy to use marker words throughout the day outside of a training context which can be confusing for your dog, especially if it’s not followed by a reward. Our voices also naturally vary in tone, pitch and volume depending on lots of different things, but the clicker sound is consistent, and your dog will easily recognise it. You can also use a marker word for training, such as saying ‘Yes’ but if your dog is noise sensitive and the clicker sound is worrying them, you can muffle the sound by clicking the clicker from inside your pocket. If they are still scared of the sound you should use a marker word instead.
Alyson Monahan
2025-06-25 16:46:36
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I don’t use clickers for all training. However, I’ve always used clickers for trick training. Tricks are often asking a dog to do something she doesn’t normally do, and so the precision of a clicker when you are shaping a new behavior is invaluable. There is no question that clicks have many advantages over words as markers. For one thing, they are short, usually only 100-200 milliseconds or so, while even a one syllable word is going to be at least twice as long. That’s part of why clicks are more precise. In addition, clicks are what are called “broad band” sounds, meaning that the sound contains energy in a broad range of frequencies, from high to low. Clicks are very much like those tall vertical bands, whereas speech is far messier and less precise. I still don’t use the clicker all the time, and for the last few years have used “yes” as a verbal marker.
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