Clicker training is a training technique that uses a clicker to tell your Beagle that they have done something desirable. The clicker makes a very distinct “click” noise that instantly lets your pet know that they are doing the right thing. You might be asking yourself, “why can’t I just praise them vocally?” Well there are several reasons for this. For starters, the click noise is something that they never hear except when they are being rewarded. This makes it very clear to them that they are doing good. Another reason that the clicker is better is that unlike the spoken word it is always the same. When we say a word we can say it in many different tones which can confuse your dog.
So why does the clicker work? You click immediately when you see the desired behavior and then give your Beagle a treat or other reward. Soon your dog will associate the click with the reward and thus the behavior with the reward. They will then want to repeat the behavior so that they get the reward. It is a simple, humane and very effective form of training. It works much better than scolding your dog and does not carry with it the side effects that a scolding does.
If you would like to get started with clicker training you first need to get a clicker. Clickers are available at most pet stores for just a few dollars. Once you have the clicker you want to first associate the clicker with a treat in the eyes of your dog. Press the clicker making the distinct two toned click noise and immediately give them a small treat. Use a small but delicious treat and not just plain dog food. Now when your Beagle shows a desired behavior like going to the bathroom outside or sitting on command click the clicker. Click it during the behavior instead of after the behavior so it is clear in their mind what behavior is being rewarded. After you make the click give your dog a treat. Click only once because multiple clicks at once will only confuse your dog. When practicing tricks or reinforcing behavior try to keep your training sessions brief. A five minute session repeated a few different times will usually work better than one long session. Lastly, when trying to correct bad behavior reward the positive. For example if you are trying to stop peeing in the house, click when they go outside. If you want to correct jumping on guests, click when they have all of their feet on the ground.
That is really all their is to clicker training. It is a simple yet very effective training technique that I am sure you will enjoy. Put it to use and you might be surprised just how quickly your dogs behavior improves.