What is Clicker Training

Pls let me explain this to you:

First of all, use a clicker or not, this is up to you, I never use one with dogs, never use one with horses and sometimes I use one with parrots. My release word is and always has been "OK". 

The very basic theory about animal training has 4 phases: (there can be 5 if you include correction, but I will not discuss the use of correction in this article, I will write one on its own, probably under "Positive Training")

1. Command or Cue (whatever you want to call it)

2. Bridge 

3. Release

4. Reward

Command/Cue is a word or a phrase in which you will tell, your Bird in this case, what you would like him to do. For example "Come". This command has to be always the same, I like to have mine followed right after the birds name since I have 18 animals right now and I have to be able to identify them personally so they know who am I talking to. Example "Molly Come" (I actually have a double whistle as a come, so "Molly whistle whistle". You can really use whatever you like as long as it is very consistent every time. 

Bridge is a word or a phrase which bridges the gab between a Command and a Release. The function of this Bridge is to support your animal and re insure him that whatever he is performing is good and he is on the right track. Again for example if your bird is flying to you after "Polly Come" you might say "Good Come" in a nice reassuring voice. For certain tricks it is more important than others, usually the longer and more complex exercises require this, lets say your bird is coming from further away or in the "Eagle" trick you want him to extend his wings and keep them up for 10 or 30 seconds etc. You can also ask for few different exercises before you give a release and that's again when your bridge comes in handy.

Release is this magic click or in my case OK. Many people like "Good" etc, I like OK, because its faster and shorter and can be delivered very quick, just like a click of a clicker. This release marks the END of the exercise and the fact that a reward is coming, whether it is a food reward (treat) or a scratch or a physical reward of some kind such as releasing a pressure of your hand being close if the bird doesn't like your hand there and so on. This is already for another article perhaps. It is important that Release is properly associated/conditioned to be followed with a reward and it is advisable to teach this prior to you starting any other formal training and progression forward.

Clicker Training is perhaps a bit of a misconception in modern animal training. It is very successful selling feature and in a way it makes people sound smarter :) A Clicker is simply a training tool, you might use 2 wooden sticks and bang them together and get the SAME results, or use a whistle or simply say OK every time instead of clicking a clicker.

It doesn't matter if you are using a clicker or another form of release, what matters is CONSISTENCY, PRECISION and the proper use of a CUE, BRIDGE and a RELEASE.