Basics

• Clicker training relies on positive behavior reinforcement; the dog is rewarded for doing something right, not punished for doing something wrong. In clicker training, when a dog performs a desired behavior, a small, distinctive sound is made, usually with a handheld clicker, and the dog is given a treat, praise or a combination of the two. Undesirable behaviors are not rewarded, but neither are they punished; they are simply ignored altogether. The theory is that if the trainer consistently fails to respond to a behavior, the dog eventually will eliminate that behavior. On the other hand, consistently clicking and treating a desired behavior helps a dog associate the clicking sound with a pleasant experience, making him more likely to continue a behavior that resulted in the sound.
  
  

Field Adaptations

• Clicker training has largely been used with pet dogs, so some adjustments may need to be made in order to use the method on a gun dog. While pets may be given a signaling click when they sit on command or come when called, clicker training a gun dog is a little more complex. You may consider clicking and treating when your gun dog retrieves a blind, stops at your whistle or moves in the desired direction toward a game bird. You also might click when your dog responds well to the sound of a gunshot, as well as when he correctly carries out more basic tasks such as heeling and walking with a loose lead.
  
  

Challenges

• While clicker training has gained a great deal of popularity as a training method for dogs that are mainly household pets, its value in training gun dogs is not as clear. This is due in part to the many differences between household training and field training. For instance, pets are usually asked only to carry out simple tasks, such as sitting and staying, usually within the quiet and limited confines of their own backyard. Much more is required of gun dogs. They must learn to point, flush and retrieve game in a large area while dealing with all sorts of interesting scents, sounds and other distractions. In addition, it may be difficult to control a gun dog's reward system when in the field. For example, you may fail to reward your gun dog if he becomes distracted while learning to fetch a bird, but if he happens to come across some other type of game while off the leash, chasing the new quarry may be its own reward for ignoring your commands.
  
  

Advantages

• Proponents of clicker training can list a number of advantages to the method, and many of these hold true for gun dogs and household pets alike. Clicker training, they say, is an excellent way to begin training a sensitive gun dog that might not be ready for the busy activity of the field. This method makes expectations very clear, taking the guesswork and stress out of the dog's learning process and, therefore, building his confidence. It also is an ideal way to give puppies an early start on some basic training, making them much more pleasant to work with when it is time for their more exhaustive field training to begin.
  
  

Mixing Methods

• Many trainers like to adopt one training method and stick to it, and some may be resistant to the idea of mixing types of training. Mixing methods, however, may be one good way to effectively incorporate clicker training into a gun dog's education. According to The Gundog Club, you should follow a few rules so that you don't confuse your gun dog when mixing methods of training. Use only one method per skill. If you are using clicker training to teach your gun dog to stay, for example, stick with the clicker training until the dog has mastered that skill. Do not mix two types of training in one session. Have some sessions of clicker training and some sessions of nothing but traditional training methods. Whichever method you use, it is important to be consistent.