| Clicker training works. So do lots of other training methods. In my experience, what works with a dog has to do with both the dog and the owner. Different dogs respond differently to each training method and different owners have different capabilities and backgrounds. You have to recommend something that works for both. For many people, clicker training is perfect for their situation. For others, it doesn't work. I get tired of trainers promoting only one method and rejecting all others. To me that's like saying there is only one method of raising children. Any parent of multiple children will tell you that even in their own families they had to work with each child a little differently.
As for seeing clicker training work, you only need to do a little bit of research to find examples. Here in Seattle, there is a police officer (I think his name is Steve White) who is pretty famous for teaching his K-9 patrol dogs using clicker training. He has to rely on those dogs to work with him in a crisis, so if clicker training didn't work, he sure as heck wouldn't use it! And since he started, quite a few K-9 units have used the same methods. Clicker training is also used to teach service dogs. Again, if it didn't work, it would be obvious. People who teach animals for performing in movies often use clicker training, among other methods, particularly with cats.
I think that trainers should have experience with as wide a variety of methods as possible and that includes clicker training.  |