Published: May 18, 2007 12:29 pm      

A well-behaved dog is just a click away

In a doggy brain, the lesson is simple: A click means a treat.

To the owner, it’s a bit more complicated, but still, the result is the same: A well-behaved dog and a happy owner.

Linda McGurk of Covington, Ind., is a proponent of the clicker method of training. And her black lab-mix dogs — Ralphie, 6, and Barney, 11 months — are proof the training works.

“If you’re going to enjoy the dog, it has to be well-trained,” she said.

McGurk, a native of Sweden, is a freelance writer who is a correspondent for the Commercial-News. Her husband, Kyle, works at Steel Grip.

The clicker method has gained popularity the past 10 years because it’s accurate and uses positive reinforcement.

Also, she said, “It breaks down the process of teaching a new trick into small steps, which helps the dog’s learning process.”

Here’s how it works:

The trainer clicks at the moment the behavior occurs. For example, the dog sits and the trainer clicks at the same time. The trainer then gives the animal something it likes, such as food. After two or three clicks, an animal will associate the sound of the click with the reward.

The clicker is used just during the training process; once the pet has mastered the command, it’s not needed.

The nice thing about a clicker is that sound is consistent — unlike a person’s voice, which varies with moods.

McGurk picked up a clicker to demonstrate. As soon as Barney — who had been dozing — heard the noise, he jumped up and bounded over to McGurk, ready for a treat, even though he hadn’t done anything to earn it.

How she started

McGurk and her husband adopted Ralphie three years ago from a person who couldn’t keep her.

Last year, they adopted Barney through a rescue organization in Mattoon.

Ralphie already knew the basic obedience commands, but Barney the puppy needed some discipline.

That’s when McGurk became interested in the clicker method and started attending classes offered by the Greater Lafayette (Ind.) Kennel Club.

Barney can do the basic commands, as well as roll over, spin, wait, shake, crawl, jump, bow, weave through the legs and leave it.

Now, they’re taking an agility course, and she hopes to take him to trials someday.

“We’re both having a lot of fun with it,” she said. “He’s so energetic, he needs to channel that energy into something.”

Like any good trainer, McGurk emphasizes the value of positive reinforcement — not force or physical corrections.

“People think they have to use force to be dominant over the dog,” she said. “All you’re going to end up doing is scaring and confusing the dog.”

She added, “You have to teach a dog in a way it can grasp.”

That means no yelling or hitting.

“I’m just trying to be a benevolent leader,” she said.

Of course, a dog should have limits, but he can learn those without physical force.

Also, reserve the word “no” for behavior that’s really unacceptable; otherwise, it becomes meaningless when you use it for everything, she said.

Training sessions should be short — three five-minute sessions a day are enough.

McGurk also recommends adopting a dog that fits your lifestyle; a border collie, for example, isn’t suitable for someone who’s gone a lot.

Make sure the dog gets plenty of exercise. She walks her Labs an hour every day.

“Most destructive behavior can be prevented if the dog is exercised enough,” she said.

McGurk believes the large number of dogs in shelters can be traced to owners’ lack of knowledge and patience.

“I think many of the dogs that end up abandoned or dumped at shelters are left there because their owners didn’t take the time to train them properly or were just ignorant about the importance of training,” she said.

Sweden doesn’t have that problem, she said, adding, “Dogs are valued in Sweden. They live like kings.”

McGurk had a Norfolk terrier while growing up, and her husband had a sheltie. They met overseas, and McGurk moved to the United States in 2003. They moved to Kyle’s hometown of Covington from Montana last year.

She always had heard good things about Labrador retrievers.

“Now, I’m totally hooked. I don’t think I’ll go back to anything else,” she said.

She described Labs as fun, active and good with children. They’re easy to train because they’re very food-motivated, she said.

Dogs love to please their owners — and Barney and Ralphie prove that as they lovingly watch McGurk’s every move and follow her commands.

She makes the most of a dog’s innate desire to please — something I wish all owners would pick up on.

Contact Mary Wicoff at 477-5161, send an e-mail to mwicoff@dancomnews.com or write to Commercial-News, 17 W. North, Danville, IL 61832.

FYI

Linda McGurk recommends:

-- A Web site about clicker training — http://www.clickertraining.com — by trainer Karen Pryor.

-- A book by Patricia McConnell, “The Other End of the Leash.”