Clicker training is just anotehr way to teach behaviours. First you click-treat, click-treat, click-treat. Then, when the dog connects the two together, you can use the CLICK to mark the behaviour you like.... followed by the treat. The click is ALWAYS followed by a treat, but the behaviour only needs to be C/T'd to begin with, to teach the behaviour.... then the CT is phased out.
There are several ways to use a "clicker" (or whatever your chosen marker is). You can "capture" behaviour you like - click when the dog does it and give a treat. After it has happened a few times, the dog will offer the behaviour a lot and you can stick a cue on it. Or you can "shape" the behaviour you want, by clicking for teeny tiny steps in the right direction. When the dog has got it and is "throwing it at you" - you can stick a cue on it. Or you can use the food to lure the dog into the behaviour, and THEN c/t for it. Again - when he has got it down to a T, put it on cue.
"Give a man a fire and he is warm for a day, but set fire to him and he is warm for the rest of his life." - Pratchett, "Jingo"
