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Clicking with Your Dog: Step-by-Step in Pictures

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"Clicking with Your Dog" is the answer for all pet owners who want a dog to be a real partner and friend. The author's step-by-step illustrations explain the clicking process more clearly than ever before. Soon you will truly understand your dog, and, thanks to the clicker, your dog will understandd you!"

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

3 people are currently reading
105 people want to read

About the author

Peggy Tillman

5 books1 follower

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5 stars
96 (35%)
4 stars
100 (37%)
3 stars
57 (21%)
2 stars
10 (3%)
1 star
6 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Robert Hobkirk.
Author 7 books77 followers
July 24, 2016
I've read a lot of dog training books, and this one, Clicking with you Dog, is my favorite. It's simple, clear, with drawings to help illustrate the technique. Tillman explains clicker training from A thru Z. It deserves 5 stars with an oak leaf cluster. I got a copy from the library, but I'm buying a copy for reference.

If you're planning on getting married and starting a family, get a dog first and see how you do with that. If you aren't a total flop with your dog, maybe you're ready for marriage.
Profile Image for Melissa.
2 reviews
January 4, 2021
Great book for beginner, but would have liked more tips non food-motivated and especially fearful dogs. This book, like others assumes the dog is already well adjusted or a new puppy which makes the tips harder to implement for our rescue pup of 6 months who is afraid to leave the house. I also found starting with the word “yes” rather then the clicker is easier and more convenient.
Profile Image for Molly.
326 reviews
November 20, 2018
Extremely simple "cook book" for clicker training, also has a nice chart for behavior problem solving and the type of behavior that can be trained to help with it. Good for new trainers, very basic behaviors.
39 reviews
March 10, 2024
Very accessible book. In just 3-5 days we are already training our 4 month puppy Labrador to sit, come, nor pull the leach etc..
529 reviews1 follower
September 29, 2016
Similar to a dummies how to book. This one on how to clicker train your dog. Easy step by step pics and descriptions. It starts off with the basics: sit, down, stay, etc.; solving problems such as chewing, house training, jumping on people, etc; and later, also tricks when the pup has mastered the earlier skills. I'll be referring to this later again on for the tricks.
Profile Image for Rena Sherwood.
Author 2 books52 followers
April 25, 2016
Clicking with your Dog: Step-by-Step in Pictures (2000) is a practical and simple "Clicker Training 101" written and illustrated by Peggy Tillman. It is published by Karen Pryor Clickertraining and gets a foreword from the mistress of the clicker, Pryor herself.

Tillman first became an ergonomics engineer before becoming a positive reinforcement dog trainer. This probably explains why complicated concepts are broken down into easy to digest chunks of text. Tillman also does not get bogged down by confusing personal examples, which hurts many other clicker training books. Many other clicker training books red like a long advertisement for the author's dog training services, but this book is an actual guide.

Easy on the Eye

A dog owner that is scrambling to find information about how to change a dog's undesirable behavior doesn’t have a lot of time. She needs to get to the information as quickly as possible. This is the book for her. It has large print, narrow margins, is well indexed and has a very clear table of contents.

You don’t have to read the book cover to cover in order to get the information you need on a certain training problem, but it does help. The book itself is only 2009 pages long, including index, table of contents, foreword, blank charts for you to take notes and huge illustrations. The book can be easily read in a weekend.

Other Extras

Clicking with Your Dog also includes an extensive list of companies offering good equipment, and boredom-busting toys. It also lists websites on dogs, clicker training and dog sports associations. There is also a nice section on incorporating house training with positive reinforcement, which is often just barely mentioned in some other dog training books.

So, Are My Dogs Clicker Trained?

That being said, my dogs are not clicker trained, although they are reasonably trained. I did try clicker training Pony, my oldest, when she was four months old, but I didn’t give the treats fast enough and so she ate the clicker. Fortunately, she spat out the metal spring and concentrated on just the plastic, but even plastic is not recommended for a dog's diet. It could cause internal injuries or digestive blockages.

But my dogs are trained with positive reinforcement, which is the central theme of Clicking with Your Dog. We just seem to have a bad time with clickers. I think clicker training could help my second dog, Hugo, but since he hangs around with Pony, I’m hesitant to use clickers as Pony may try to eat them.

Profile Image for Amy.
84 reviews6 followers
April 20, 2014
I have had this book for over a year, when I adopted my Golden puppy. I did some clicker training with him, as well as, went to a clicker training class. But I found clicker training confusing sometimes, and I didn't understand the benefits and "rules" clearly. I have just finished rereading this book and have had a lot of "aha" moments. I wish I had tried a bit harder to figure it out, because I am now applying these exercises with amazing results. I have been lucky my Golden often helps me out and meets me halfway when we train together. Thankfully, with my better understanding, I hope I will not confuse myself and my new addition to the family: a Brittany puppy. This is a great beginning book! Super clear and easy to grasp!
Profile Image for Alena.
43 reviews60 followers
February 10, 2008
This book is a great beginner's introduction to clicker training. It gives easy-to-understand instructions, paired with illustrations that show new trainers how to produce and reinforce many simple behaviors.

It also presents the practical side of clicker training without focusing on the science behind the behavior modification. While this can be frustrating for trainers who have a strong background in operant conditioning, the book's simplicity makes it perfect for new trainers, crossover trainers or pet owners who are primarily concerned with getting results, rather than understanding the science.
Profile Image for Kate.
51 reviews2 followers
January 31, 2008
We have a new dog. His name is Klaus. He's a bit needy. Aren't we all? He makes us happy. We love him a lot. A whole lot. He doesn't pull on his leash, stops at the corner and looks at us when prompted, and sort of fetches. All because of the clicker training. We'll keep you posted on his progress.
Profile Image for Kara of BookishBytes.
1,299 reviews
January 1, 2016
This book explains how to use a clicker to train your dog to do anything and everything from potty training to assistance-dog tasks. I won't get my own dog for another week, so I haven't tried any of these exercises, but I enjoyed the book. It is written in a very approachable, very useable style. Of the several dog-training books I've read, this is the easiest to digest.
Profile Image for Kelly Holmes.
Author 1 book111 followers
January 20, 2009
We actually don't use clicker training because it's so easy to get the timing wrong and really confuse your dog. Instead, we just use treats for rewards. But we keep this book around because it has some good ideas for how to train certain things, even if you don't use the clicker to reward.
Profile Image for Allison.
36 reviews1 follower
June 15, 2015
I was torn between 3 Stars or 4. In the end I gave 4. Because as a beginners book, it's easy to read and understand. For someone a little more experienced it was all a bit. Well. Obvious.

It did not take long to read cover to cover. So written well enough to hold my attention.
Profile Image for C.
451 reviews2 followers
July 29, 2008
quick and easily read book that had a lot of easy to follow directions with illustrations. I used many of the tips without a clicker and things are going well so far!
Profile Image for Allison.
58 reviews12 followers
June 6, 2009
I'd highly suggest this book as an easy way to train your dog through training using shaping and positive reinforcement.
Profile Image for Brenda Christiansen.
118 reviews2 followers
June 15, 2010
I really liked the layout and simplicity of this book. Now that I've read it I am looking forward to putting what I've learned into practice. Wish me luck!
Profile Image for Debra.
73 reviews1 follower
June 3, 2015
This a good book for those who just want to train their dog to do a few simple things. Does not give a real good synopsis of operant conditioning.
Profile Image for Adrianna.
428 reviews5 followers
November 2, 2016
Easy-to-follow guide to clicker training your dog. Great for beginners or those in need of a refresher of the basic principles. Also acts as an in-depth bibliography for those who wish to learn more.
Profile Image for Monica.
Author 16 books5 followers
February 21, 2021
Simple, clear and straight to the point with a lot of good techniqued and information. Works with our dogs!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews