The metal chair is small and the warehouse smells distinctly like dog. And not in a good way.
Do I really need to be here? I wonder. But it’s too late to leave… I’m committed.
I look around at the other people. Beside me is an older man with a wool cap, and in front and to the left is a mother and her six year old daughter. There’s a middle-aged couple directly in front of me and a younger couple beside me. The thing we all have in common is that we are dog owners. And we’ve signed up to learn how to train them.
A slim woman with short hair and a hip pack stands at the front of the room. At six o’clock on the dot she says, “Welcome to orientation. My name is Becky and I’m a Certified Pet Trainer and a Certified Clicker Trainer. I have clicker-trained rats and chickens.”
I glanced around at the other humans, who look equally impressed.
If this Becky can train a chicken, surely she can teach me to train my dog to stay.
At this point you may be wondering what this “clicker” is that I’m talking about. Let’s pause for a brief lesson in clickers.

And now, back to our story.
“Clicker training is a very effective method,” Becky tells us. ”It’s fun for humans AND for dogs.”
She then announces that we’re going to play a game where we’ll learn the POWER of the clicker. We’re supposed to pair up. I choose Mr. Wool Cap to be my partner.
The game goes like this:
One person is the human, the other is the dog. (For the first round I call human.)
The person who’s pretending to be a dog looks around and acts distracted. Then, the person pretending to be a human says the dog’s name, and when the person pretending to be a dog makes eye contact, the person pretending to be a human CLICKS! and gives the person pretending to be a dog a treat.
It’s sort of like speed dating. Only weirder.
When I get home, I google Clicker Training. I want to be prepared for the first class with Bella.
I learn that Clicker Training is a very effective method and has been used on a wide variety of animals. Many movie animals are trained this way.
Here’s a selection of the animals that you can train with a clicker:




Yes, clicker training is an amazing, miraculous thing.
The things you can do! The creatures you can train!
There’s just one question that plagues me as I hunch over my laptop….

Of course they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But I have to wonder.
Imagine the possibilities!
Oh, and Jay, if you’re reading this? When I say “dog” I mean fox. Because you totally are. *click*
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xo Jen

December 1, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Funny post! How/why would you clicker train a chicken? lol. hmmmmmmmmmm?
Anyhow, I watch that Ceasar dude the Dog Whisperer. His technique even helped train our dog that is only fixated on his balls (tennis balls – get your mind outta the gutter! lol)
Good luck with the training! Should be fun! Should also be some good bloggy stuff! Yea!
sheilas last blog post..Why not start a business?
December 1, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I think my dogs are beyond training. They would probably chew the clicker :-)
midwest mommys last blog post..History Does Repeat Itself.
December 1, 2008 at 3:42 pm
My dog was way too beyond the clicker. We ended up needing a shock collar when he was a puppy.
Perhaps I should have gotten him a Bushman instead??
Ashlie- Mommycosms last blog post..Help pick our Christmas picture
December 1, 2008 at 3:43 pm
jen – you do know that doggy training class is just as much about training the humans as it is the dogs, right?
December 1, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Does it sound cynical when I wonder if you got a dog so that you would have more blog fodder??
I SO gotta get me a dog!
Eternal Sunshines last blog post..FINALLY – The Weekend Update
December 1, 2008 at 4:13 pm
ah, if it works on — ahem — foxes, can i send my crew to you???
or at least my 2 rat dogs.
who are beyond help, i swear.
sigh
the planet of janets last blog post..Weekly Winners: November 23-29
December 1, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Cute post! We clicker trained our boxers. It worked for all the stuff we really don’t need them to do — high five and waving — and not so much for the stuff they should know — sit-stay, not pulling during a walk, come …
Kerries last blog post..The I’m-Too-Tired-To-Write Post
December 1, 2008 at 4:58 pm
It’s like the Force… only louder.
Stacy (mama-om)s last blog post..Orange
December 1, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Hahahahaha!
I wish I had learned about clicker-training awhile back…I think my dog is too old to learn new tricks.
Dumblonds last blog post..On the first day of Christmas….
December 1, 2008 at 6:05 pm
I’ve never heard of Clicker Training. Let us know if it works for Jay, your “dog”, or I mean, your FOX.
December 1, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Ok, that just made my whole day. I’m going to do some *research* now.
December 1, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Thanks for the gut laugh!
Mrs. G.s last blog post..Finally! The Thanksgiving Movie
December 1, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Hahaha. You’re funny. I’ve missed you.
Brilligs last blog post..Augenstein-in-Progress
December 1, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Ha! Nice recovery – foxy :-)
Love the photo of the horses!
Go clicker.
Kathleens last blog post..Make Me Laugh Monday – Kids
December 2, 2008 at 9:20 am
Lemme know if it works! I’d certainly purchase one to train the male inhabitants of the Trenches!
Trenches of Mommyhoods last blog post..The Trenches 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways! DAY 2
December 2, 2008 at 9:45 am
LAMO.
You crack me up.
Just Jiffs last blog post..Joys of Motherhood.
December 2, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Forget the husband. Imagine the money you could make by teaching clicker training on kids. Potty training? Cleaning up their toys? I’d sign up in a heartbeat.
T with Honeys last blog post..Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me
December 2, 2008 at 12:45 pm
HAR!!!!
So funny I spontaneously turned into a pirate! Har! I say, Har!
Reluctant Housewifes last blog post..It’s Christmas Time at SITS!
December 3, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I love this story. Is it a waste of time to train a pig, I’m just saying for the amount of time they’re going to be around it seems like a bit of a waste, no? :)
Jessica Berns last blog post..WHEW!!