Benefits of Clicker Training for Pets

Original publish date: June 28, 2024 | Last updated: December 16, 2025

Training our companion animals is an essential aspect of pet ownership, and one effective method is clicker training. This positive reinforcement technique not only facilitates learning but also strengthens the bond between pets and their human counterparts. Today, we'll explore the benefits and practical methods of clicker training, and even teach our pets to wear a hat!

What is Clicker Training?

Clicker training uses the principles of Operant Conditioning by reinforcing desired behaviours with positive stimuli. The clicker is a small handheld device that emits a distinct sound. This sound triggers the amygdala in the brain, precisely indicating the moment your pet performed the desired behaviour.

Think of this as taking a snapshot of the exact moment in time when your pet is doing the desired behaviour. This clear and immediate feedback helps pets understand exactly what action led to their reward. Reinforcement through positive stimuli is the treat, toy, or praise that immediately follows the click sound.

Clicker training is not limited to dogs and cats; it can be used with birds, horses, dolphins and more!

Tip: A retractable pen will also work if you do not have access to a clicker. Retractable pens can be good for fearful animals because the click sound is much softer and easier to muffle. We also sell clickers at Viva Pets!

Enhanced Learning and Communication

Research has shown that pairing a distinct sound with a reward strengthens the association between action and reward. The clicker offers precision and consistency in communication during training, as opposed to traditional verbal or physical cues. 

This training method provides a framework that pet parents can tailor to meet each pet’s needs. Doing this helps set them up for success and reduces the likelihood of confusion or frustration.

Our pets, much like us, thrive on positive reinforcement! 

Strengthened Bond

Behaviours taught through positive reinforcement methods are more likely to persist through time. Clicker training is a powerful method to nurture a strong bond between pets and their owners. Pets develop trust and confidence in their owners, while owners better understand their pets. This mutual trust forms the foundation of a positive relationship built on communication, respect and cooperation.

Basic Steps to Wearing a Hat

Here are some practical steps to get started:

1. Load the Clicker: Click it and immediately offer a treat, toy, or praise to your pet, whichever is of the highest value to them.

   
   

Repeat this process 10 times until your pet learns to associate the clicker's sound with getting a reward. A “Marker Word” can also be paired with the clicker sound, such as “Yes”. Do this at the start of each training session.

Use rewards of higher value to ensure greater rates of success. Not all animals are food motivated; some have a favourite toy, and a very small few only want praise. 

Tip: Do their training at meal time, and you can use their kibble or raw food instead of treats to reduce overeating. One way to use raw food is to portion it into small treat-sized pieces and freeze it on a sheet pan, or you can head over to Viva Pets and pick up some raw food that is already treat-sized.

2. Choose a Trick and Shape it: Such as wearing a hat.

   
   

Shape it means to break it down into small, achievable steps to make learning easier. Each step builds on the complexity and expectations of the last, shaping the outcome.

Note: You must tailor the breakdown of each behaviour to every pet, and you can simplify the steps even more. There is no correct number of repetitions for each step; every pet learns and becomes comfortable at different speeds. Always allow your pet to set the pace, and do not be afraid or feel bad for taking things a step back.

2a) Gently hold the hat in front of your pet. Click and reward the moment when they interact (look/touch/smell/etc) with the hat. Repeat this until they are comfortable.

2b) Bring the hat above their head. Click and reward them for being comfortable with it above their head. Each animal progresses differently, so you may need to break up this step until the hat is comfortably above their head.

2c) Put the hat on their head and immediately take it off. Click and reward for having it on their head. Repeat this until they are comfortable.

2d) Increase the time the hat is placed on their head until you reach the target time duration.

3. Name it: After your pet can successfully wear the hat on their head, give them a cue or command, such as “hat” or “wear.” This applies to any trick they are learning or have learned.

   
   

Animals don’t understand words the way we do; they hear them as sounds linked to expectations. They only know “Sit” means to put their bottom on the ground because we taught them that is what it means. Cues or commands can be any word that works for your house.

4. Generalize and Practice: Once your pet can do their trick in a boring environment, like the living room, practice in different areas indoors and outdoors and with various distractions. This helps them learn that they should be doing this in more places than just their homes. Animals learn to do behaviours only in the places where they were taught.

   
   

Another method of clicker training is called Capturing. Reward your pet the moment they perform a desired behaviour on their own—such as sitting or lying down—without being asked. Promptly click the clicker to mark the behaviour and follow up with a reward. 

You can use training by Capturing to help animals who struggle to learn typical behaviours, such as lying down. Capturing can be used to teach behaviours that animals naturally do on their own, like wagging their tail or yawning.