First, the basic rules of clicker training:

• One click, then one treat
• Click for good things only
• Don’t use the clicker to get attention - you use the clicker as though you are taking a picture of the behavior you want.
• Use very small treats (e.g. hot dogs can be cut up into at least 50 pieces)
• If the dog doesn’t take the treat, find something more rewarding (it can be better food, or a toy or praise. The only requirement is that the dog has to find it rewarding).

I learned the following technique from Dee Ganley of the Upper Valley Humane Society in Vermont. This technique is especially good for dogs who already pull.

1. Put your dog’s leash on and just stand still. Let the dog go to the end of the leash. When your dog releases the tension on the leash, click and show him the treat in your hand. Let him see you place the treat on the ground by the outside of your le ft foot. Once he’s eaten the treat, move to the end of the range of the leash so it is taut and stand quietly. When he moves to release the tension, click. Show him the treat and place it by your left foot. You don’t care about eye contact. What you are t eaching is that releasing the leash tension gets clicked and treated. Do this about ten times.

2. Continue to stand now that your dog is not pulling. Now you will click when the dog makes eye contact. After the click, put the treat by your left foot. After he has finished eating the treat, move to the end of the leash. Click and treat three time s for looking at you while on a loose leash.

3. Again, just standing with your dog on a loose leash, looking at you, toss your treats right past your dog’s nose to about three feet away (do not click). When dog eats the treats and comes back to you looking for more, click and treat by placing the food by the outside of your left foot. Move a couple steps and repeat.

4. Again toss the treat right past your dog’s nose. When your dog finishes eating it and turns around to come back to you, you turn your back and start walking away from him. (Just take a few steps in the beginning.) When your dog catches up to you, bu t before he gets past your pant leg, click and treat. Repeat.

Note: Make sure when you toss the food it goes right past the dog’s nose. This is the warm-up. Now that you have the dog following you for a few steps it is time to start walking and reinforcing behind or next to you.

5. Your dog is on leash. You turn away from him and start walking. Your dog follows. As the dog catches up to you and is coming up next to you - maybe even makes eye contact - mark (click) and drop the treat next to your left foot. Don’t keep moving an d be sure the first few times that you let the dog know that you have food in your hand. Once he’s finished his treat, start again. Show him the treat and then turn and take a few steps away from him, walk till he catches up, drop the treat next to you or a little behind.

Note: Dropping food next to your side or a little behind helps the dog to stay close to you. It prevents the dog from anticipating and forging ahead. So drop the food behind you or you can even let the dog take it out of your hand behind your back. Don ‘t drop the food so far away that the dog has to drag you to get it.

Timing is everything! Don’t let the dog get in front of you. If he does, pivot away, wait till he catches up BUT is next to you or slightly behind you (or his nose is at your pant seam), and drop the food. Never drop food if your dog has gotten in fron t of you. Gradually work towards walking more steps before rewarding. You can vary this and reinforce while he is next to you if you wish, or toss the treat way behind you so the dog has to hunt for it and then reinforce him for catching back up to you.