How to Clicker Train Your Shih Tzu

Have you ever wondered how to clicker train your Shih Tzu? Clicker training your dog is one of the most effective and impressive methods for controlling and dictating a dog’s behavior when trying to teach them basic commands. It takes very little time to master clicker training and with a well operated clicker, you can teach your Shih Tzu nearly anything very quickly.

How to Clicker Train – Overview

The idea behind clicker training is that you’re teaching your Shih Tzu to associate the sound of the clicker, a strong, sharp sound that they can hear from 20+ yards away, with a specific command you give. The goal of the training is to mark specific desirable behavior and then reward it with the sound of the clicker.

Of course clicker dog training does not start with a clicker. You must first teach your Shih Tzu that the clicker is a reward for good behavior. This can be done with a bag of treats and a simple, two dollar clicker from your local pet store.

It is important that you use a clicker in this instance for a number of reasons. To start with, a dog will never hear that clicker for any reason other than to tell them they did a good job and that a treat is on the way. A word or verbal command might be given in different situations and the relationship in their head is not quite as strong because of it.

How to Clicker Train – Dog Training in Practice

When you start training your dog to respond to a clicker, there are three very basic steps. First, you will get the behavior – convincing your dog to do something that you want. It may be sitting, speaking, rolling over, or whatever other tricks you’re trying to teach. Once you’ve gotten them to perform their behavior, mark it with the clicker and a reward.

At first it may be necessary to charge your clicker. Charging a clicker is a method of getting your Shih Tzu to understand that a treat is to follow when he hears a click. To charge the clicker you simply click the clicker and then give a treat to the dog. It shouldn’t take very long before your Shih Tzu will associate the sound of the clicker to receiving a treat.

It usually only takes two or three markings before a dog learns what the behavior they did was and starts repeating it whenever you click use the clicker. Clicker dog training works well because they will immediately respond, allowing you to reward them and immediately instill it in their minds. A verbal command will take time to get through.

Once your Shih Tzu has done the behavior and received their reward, continue doing it to reinforce the behavior as much as possible. You do not have to use treats every time. Praise and petting work just as well and can eventually replace the behavior.

How to Clicker Train – Transitioning to a Command

Once your Shih Tzu has learned the behavior well, clicker dog training can be transition to a spoken command that can be used anywhere, even when you don’t have a clicker. Whenever you are about to use the clicker, say the command and then click, followed by the reward. The dog will quickly learn to associate all three.

Eventually, with good clicker dog training, your Shih Tzu will respond to a verbal cue and praise for their action and then they will simply learn it. The need for treats or praise will be gone and the dog will simply know that the action pleases you.

As you might imagine, clicker dog training has a number of applications. It can make training your dog so much easier in many ways. With a simple, sharp command, you can mark and reinforce nearly any behavior. Click here for a complete guide on clicker training your dog.