People who are new to clicker training often believe that a Good Girl or Good Boy will work just as well as clicks and treats. While praise can be great for maintaining an existing skill, the click (or verbal marker) is simply the smartest, fastest way to teach new skills and cues. And dogs love it!

Look, it’s the treat lady! . . . He’s only doing that because of the treats.. . . She won’t pay attention to me because she likes your treats better.

These are things I commonly hear from clients. Sure, dogs always love my treats, which are really tasty (apparently). And I do pay out a lot of them in a lesson. But not for free! They have to be earned by offering behaviors I want. 

Does your dog have a delayed or unreliable response to Come, Down, or other commands? Do you see certain stress signals, like lip licking, looking away, sniffing the ground, moving slowly, or yawning? These responses indicate a poisoned cue.

Even those who are completely onboard with adopting positive methods of training and handling their dog will ask, “But what am I supposed to do when I want him to stop doing something?” This usually comes up right after I’ve explained why I don’t like to say No or misuse the dog’s name to handle this situation.

If you just got a puppy and are stressing about all the typical problems you didn’t anticipate (or forgot about, like me), don’t despair. Like having a really cute but exhausting toddler, your life is consumed by potty training, tantrums, and trying to keep them from hurting themselves—and you. But there’s no need to resort to discipline, wait for training classes, or just hope the puppy will eventually “grow out of it.” There’s a lot you can do now to bring some quick relief—and more important, lay the foundation for a fantastic dog and a wonderful relationship.