At South Paw, we believe in a “no force” approach to training. We teach owners to train their dogs using positive reinforcement or clicker training.

Positive reinforcement is based on the premise that rewarded behavior is repeated. We use a clicker device to produce a sound, to mark the behavior we want. We find that the clicker is distinct and consistent, and the timing is more accurate than our voice. The clicker is a secondary reinforcer that is paired with a primary reinforcer (something the dog naturally likes; food, play, toy or praise). By clicking a behavior we are giving the dog information “I liked that” and you’re going to be rewarded for it! Consequently, the dog will repeat the behavior again to get rewarded (rewards are slowly faded as training progresses).

Instead of forcing your dog to do behaviors with traditional methods (squishing, choking or pulling), you are setting up a win/win situation. Positive reward training helps build a strong trusting relationship with your dog. It also helps make your dog a happy, confident and obedient pooch!