Is their anything you can use besides an actual clicker???

[Willow's Meadow]

I know you can go out and buy a clicker for clicker training dogs and stuff but is their anything "homemade" that you can use for a clicker that would work??? Would a pen work...would it have the same effect as an actual clicker??? Would it be loud enough???

 

[lemurchaser]

A whistle works... Anything that makes a loud enough and sharp/quick enough sound would be fine.

 

[Tala]

You could just always use a certain key word. I know some trainers say a happy "YES!" (short sweet and easy to be excited sounding) because they always have their voice, maybe not a clicker.

 

[BeccaB00]

Yes, pens work. I used to use them with my cockatiel,

and being dogs hear so good, yes it's loud enough.

You can also make the clicking noise with your mouth.

Clickers only cost about 3 dollars though, so if your

ever at the pet-store, I'd go ahead and get one, if your

really wanting to use the 'clicking' noise. And also, like tala

said, you can always just use a sertain word. I normally say

"Good!" to my dogs.

-Becca

 

[patandchickens]

Some metal jar lids make a fairly good click. Experiment.

In principle anything works, a whistle, a word, even a flash of light.

In practice, though, you ideally want something that is very distinctive and un-missable, AND very quick for you to 'deploy' with no delay at all.

A clicker in your hand tends to be faster-deployed even than a word like 'yay' or a whistle, hence it is become so commonly used.

With my dog I use a clicker when exact marking of a behavior is real important, basically when teaching something new or shaping an existing behavior; a lot of the rest of the time I just use a standardized-sounding very happy little 'yay!!' as the marker. Both have their pros and cons but they very clearly work somewhat *differently*.

If you are going to want to carry the clicker work over to ridden (or driven) work, then you will almost certainly want to use a verbal cue ('yay' or whatever) either alone or as an alternate to your click, since most people have neither enough fingers nor enough brain cells to accurately click a horse with a *clicker* during, like, canter departs

Pat