[FirstYorkie]

Personal note: Yes, Cindy, Joey does love it! You should see how excited he gets when I grab the clicker and say "Wanna go to Work?". It's cool. And I love to watch his mind work when he's trying to figure out what I'm "paying for" this time [ie which behavior will get a click and treat (CT)]. It is just fun.

ClickerTraining families? Actually, there are lots of articles about it on the web. I wish that I knew about it when I had small children! I would have done things differently. But, yes, even with teenagers, clickertraining has reminded me that everyone responds better to positive reinforcement than negative. Especially our families!!!

Val, looking at Sully in your video, I really don't think you need any help, but here goes. I'm glad you asked, because that was something I wanted to discuss.

What about a dog who is afraid of the clicker?
You can try muffling the clicker by putting it in your pocket or wrapping it up inside of something. You can lower the volume on specially made clickers. Or you can not use the clicker at all. Look for something else that is easy to hold and that will make a distinctive sound quickly. Or, use a word or sound as your marker.

Naturally, I think the best thing is prevention. When I first introduce a clicker, I already have a yummy treat in my hand where the dog can see it. If he's really focused on that treat, he may not even hear the click the first time or two.