Why do dogs not like clickers?
Lilliana Kuphal
2025-07-11 02:06:50
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: 16
The sound seems to be jarring and confusing for him. Instead of getting him to associate that sound with treats as a positive thing, instead we've gotten him to associate his treats with the sound as a negative thing so that when we tried to give him treats he moved away and wouldn't take them. This was one that the class gave us for free that's pretty loud--maybe a quieter one would work better. He's not normally very reactive to noises--the only other time he reacts to noises negatively is the dishwasher, and all other noises when we're out and about or in the house don't bother him at all.
Lillian Stokes
2025-07-03 23:13:46
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: 16
There are a few problems with clickers. Clickers can also create dogs that slip to the other side of the spectrum, hyper and anxious to get the behavior right, dying to have the clicker go off again. With poor clicker timing comes frustrated anxious dogs. There are also dogs who are noise sensitive and hate the clicker right off the bat. This could be from not being exposed to the noise from a young age, or a clicker type object being used as punishment previously. Some owners also report "cheating" and using the clicker for things it is not designed for, like calling the dog, getting the dog's attention, and clicking at the dog to stop bad behaviors. This of course confuses the dog and ruins the association with the clicker. Not every owner has the timing, the patience or the wherewithal to grasp the tool and not every dog will respond favorably to it.
Hosea Spinka
2025-06-25 16:45:39
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: 17
Most dogs take to clicker training like ducks to water! But occasionally, one of our students goes home after Orientation, eager to start the training process with their dog, only to discover that their dog is afraid of the clicker. I think some owners inadvertently startle their dogs by clicking in a quiet room when the dog doesn’t expect any unusual sounds. Dogs are used to hearing random noises while exploring outside, so the click sound won’t be as sudden. It can be tempting to point the clicker at your dog when you first use it, but that may scare your dog. Left: a box clicker, which is pretty loud. Right: an i-Click, which makes a softer, quieter click. Be sure to use an i-Click, the type of clicker with a raised button, rather than a box clicker. i-Clicks are much quieter than box clickers.
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- What can I use instead of a clicker for training?
- Is it better to train dogs with a clicker or yes?
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