What Is Clicker Training and Does It Work?

Updated October 13, 2026 · 2 min read · 3 sources

Short answer

Clicker training is a form of reward-based training in which a small device makes a click at the exact moment a dog does the right thing, followed by a treat. It works, but studies have not found it better than alternatives: a 2021 study in shelter puppies and a 2016 study of 51 pet dogs found clickers taught new tasks about as well as a spoken marker word or food alone.

The clicker is a marker: a distinct sound that tells your dog "that's what I'm paying you for." The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior lists clickers and verbal markers among recommended reward-based techniques.

How clicker training works

  1. "Charge" the clicker. Click, then immediately give a treat, several times in a row, until your dog perks up at the sound.
  2. Click the moment the behavior happens, for example the instant your dog's rear touches the floor for "sit."
  3. Always follow the click with a reward.
  4. Add a cue word once the dog offers the behavior reliably.
  5. Fade the clicker for well-learned behaviors; keep rewarding intermittently.

When to use a clicker

  • Shaping new behaviors step by step (tricks, nose targets, going to a mat)
  • Precise timing where a voice marker would come too late
  • Capturing behavior the dog offers on its own, like lying calmly

Does clicker training work better?

Two studies tested it directly:

Study Dogs Finding
Chiandetti et al., Applied Animal Behaviour Science (2016) 51 pet dogs taught to open a box No significant difference in learning speed or generalization between a clicker, the word "bravo" and a visual cue
Gilchrist et al., PeerJ (2021) Shelter puppies with no prior training No reinforcement method (clicker, verbal marker or food alone) was significantly more effective

The researchers in the 2021 study concluded that food alone and secondary reinforcers can all work for teaching new behaviors. They noted limitations, including modest sample sizes.

So should you use a clicker?

Use it if you like it and can keep your timing consistent. A short, consistent word like "yes!" works just as well for most owners and is always with you. What matters most is that you mark and reward quickly and consistently.

Common clicker mistakes

  • Clicking without rewarding
  • Clicking to get attention (it's a marker, not a "come here")
  • Clicking late
  • Holding the clicker next to a noise-sensitive dog's ear

See dog training methods explained and find dog trainers near you.

Sources

  1. Gilchrist et al., PeerJ (2021): The click is not the trick
  2. Psychology Today (Stanley Coren): Is clicker training the most effective way to train dogs? (on Chiandetti et al. 2016)
  3. AVSAB: Humane dog training position statement (2021)

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