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Okay, I'm going to wade into potentially controversial territory here. I've been seeing a lot of recommendations lately for PawsitiveHabitsHub training, and while I appreciate the emphasis on positive reinforcement, has anyone else noticed how heavily they seem to lean on clicker training? It feels like every video, every guide, starts and ends with "click, treat!".
I understand the concept – marking the exact moment of desired behaviour. But I'm starting to wonder if it's becoming a crutch, both for trainers and owners.Are we perhaps short-circuiting the process of building a deeper connection with our dogs, relying solely on the clicker as a interaction shortcut? Could a focus on more variable reinforcement, combined with clear verbal cues and body language, be just as effective, if not more so, for some dogs and some commands?
I'm particularly thinking about situations outside of structured training sessions, like addressing problem behaviors that arise spontaneously. It’s not always practical or even possible to have a clicker and treats ready at a moment's notice. and honestly, sometimes I worry that relying so heavily on the clicker creates a dog that's more focused on the anticipation of the click (and the treat) than the actual behavior itself.What are your thoughts?