Inside the Puppy Pen: Day 36

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ6FIcAvAsg

Today, we worked on ramping up the clicker.

At this stage, the clicker is not about asking for behaviors or shaping responses yet. Right now, it has one simple job: to teach the puppies that the sound of the click always predicts something good.

Every click is followed immediately by a reward. No exceptions. No pressure. No excitement. Just consistency.

For this session, I chose to use a raw dog food as the reward. Although we do not feed a raw diet long term, I do intentionally introduce raw foods during these early developmental stages. Used thoughtfully, it can support early gut development, offer a novel texture and flavor, and serve as an excellent training tool. It is soft, easy to portion into very small amounts, and highly reinforcing without overloading their systems.

This pairing of click then reward is similar to the classic Pavlovian response. Just as Pavlov’s dogs learned to associate the ringing bell with food, these puppies are learning that the click means something positive is coming their way. Over time, the click itself becomes meaningful.

What I appreciate most about the clicker is how calm and clear it is. It allows us to mark the exact moment a puppy does something right without exciting them or breaking their focus. It is a quiet, precise “yes,” which makes it easier for puppies to stay regulated and engaged as learning progresses.

Right now, we are simply building the association. Later, the click will help them understand timing, choices, and communication during training sessions. This early groundwork sets the stage for confident learners who can think, process, and respond without stress.