What Is Clicker Training?

The answer to this question may seem obvious, but like so many common terms within our profession, “clicker training” can mean different things to different trainers. At Karen Pryor Clicker Training, we have always defined clicker training as positive reinforcement-based training that uses a marker signal. Let’s take a closer look at what each of those pieces really means.

What Is Positive Reinforcement Training?

Positive reinforcement training focuses on reinforcing the behavior that you like, rather than focusing on the behavior you don’t like. Adding something the animal will work for strengthens or increases the frequency of a behavior. For example, giving the dog a treat for sitting increases the probability that they will sit again. This technique is based on the science of how animals learn¹, which shows that a dog—or any animal, for that matter—is more likely to learn and repeat actions that result in consequences it desires and enjoys.

This technique is based on the science of how animals learn.

Why Positive Reinforcement Training?

For many reading this, the answer to that question may seem obvious. But to those outside the positive reinforcement community, people who don’t necessarily oppose the use of positive reinforcement, but believe aversive tools are needed to correct unwanted behavior, often ask why we focus on reinforcement and avoid punishers.

My decision to become a positive reinforcement trainer and my reasons for being such a strong advocate for its use are numerous. I’m what some might refer to as a cross-over trainer, as I started my career working in an organization that used “corrections” to deal with unwanted behavior. The primary reasons I advocate now for positive reinforcement training include:

Positive reinforcement clearly communicates to the learner the behavior you want.
Positive reinforcement builds trust and strengthens the relationship between trainer and learner.
When used properly, positive reinforcement can set an animal up to have more choices and ultimately more control.
Studies have found that reward-based learning offers the most advantages and the least harm to the learner’s welfare.
Unwanted behaviors can successfully be eliminated using differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors.

Punishment can create fear and discomfort in the learner.

I advocate against using punishers, including aversive tools like a shock collar, because:

Punishment can create fear and discomfort² in the learner.
As an animal learns to tolerate punishment, the trainer often finds the need to increase the intensity of the punishment, and severe punishment can cause harm and injury.
Punishers often create displacement behaviors that can lead to aggression.
Once aversive tools are used and are proven successful, the user is reinforced, making overuse more likely.
Finally, for me, there is an ethical dilemma, and I find the use of aversive tools that cause harm or fear unacceptable (that is a personal line for me that I refuse to cross).

A Clicker = A Marker Signal

I will start by stating emphatically that being a clicker trainer does not mean that you must use a clicker. In this context, clicker training is a general term for training that uses a marker.

A clicker is simply a toy noise-maker— one of many viable markers that trainers can use. Clickers make an excellent marker because they are distinct, clear, and unique to the environment. However, many things can serve as a marker, and they can be audible, visual, or tactile. The important thing is that the trainer uses them deliberately.

I am an advocate of using a marker for many reasons:

It communicates to the learner the exact moment they perform the desired behavior
Animals find predictors of reinforcement on their own. If we do not teach them a marker signal, they will find a naturally occurring marker, so I prefer to be more deliberate and teach a specific marker that I can control.
Markers are invaluable for reinforcing a precise movement or action, or when the animal is at a distance, and I cannot deliver the reinforcer immediately.
I prefer the precision and consistency of a mechanical marker, but verbal, visual, tactile, and other types of markers can be effective if used thoughtfully under the right conditions.
I use markers to evaluate and coach other trainers. When they use a marker, it allows me to assess their timing more clearly, making it a valuable teaching tool.

It’s worth noting that not every behavior needs to be clicked or marked; good clicker trainers know when to use the clicker or marker for a valuable purpose.

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Is Anyone Who Uses a Clicker Committed to Positive Reinforcement?

Just because a trainer uses a clicker doesn’t make them a positive reinforcement trainer. However, in our community, the term “clicker training” is synonymous with positive reinforcement training.

A trainer may use a clicker, but still rely heavily on aversive tools or corrections. Additionally, some trainers use a clicker as a “no” signal or a warning signal, and it isn’t even functioning as a marker at all.

So, an essential aspect of clicker training is that it has come to indicate training that focuses on and is committed to positive reinforcement.

Misconceptions or Misinterpretations

Positive reinforcement trainers are naturally enthusiastic about their training choices, and at times, that enthusiasm can lead to broad statements that are worth clarifying.

Clicker training is science-based

True, but it implies that punishment is not science-based, which is not true. Successful positive reinforcement trainers do not avoid punishment because it’s not based in science; they avoid it because of the potential fallout (as described above).

Clicker trainers never use punishment

The sentiment behind that statement is probably true, but it is not actually factual. When trainers can control the learning environment, they strive to minimize aversive stimuli and avoid punishers. But the real world contains punishers, whether that be the hot sun on a scorching day, the sudden appearance of an aggressive dog, or the unexpected honking horn from a passing car. The best clicker trainers do their best to avoid punishers, but it is impossible to deny that they exist and that they affect behavior. The difference here is that clicker trainers never deliberately use punishment.

Clicker training is more humane than other training methods

It is usually the goal of most trainers to engage in humane training, but clicker training, positive reinforcement training, is not the only thing that contributes to humane training. Clicker training is a good starting point for humane training, but it must also incorporate a philosophy that minimizes discomfort and pain, considers both mental and physical health, and is based on an ethical foundation.

This is why I encourage positive reinforcement trainers to avoid extreme superlatives like “always” and “never.” Our enthusiasm for what we do can undermine our credibility.

So…What is clicker training?

Let’s return to the original question. What do we mean when we use the term clicker training? We are referring to the type of training that focuses on positive reinforcement and avoids the use of harmful aversive tools. It is training that uses a marker signal when it is helpful to the training goals. And it is training committed to the ethical treatment of our learners.

That may not be the only definition of clicker training, but it’s mine, and it reflects the values of Karen Pryor Clicker Training. And in our experience, most trainers who call themselves clicker trainers share these ideals.

Happy Training,

Ken

Want to dig in deeper to why clicker training is effective? Head on over to this page to keep on learning more.

References

Schneider, S.M. (2012). The Science of Consequences: How they Affect Genes, Change the Brain, and Impact our World.
Chance, P. (2023). Learning and Behavior, 7th Edition. Cenage Publishing.
Sidman, M. (1989). Coercion and its Fallout. Author’s Cooperative Inc. pp. 154-155 and 113-117

What Is Clicker Training? | Karen Pryor Clicker Training