yup, there's loads and loads of info online about clicker training for more in depth info! I LOVE it as a tool, but it's not the only tool I use, nor do I rely on it for everyday stuff and I mainly only use it for actually training a behaviour.
"do you just use the click and a treat - or do you start with "good boy" click and treat?"
just click and give the pup a treat straight away. Pause a second, click and treat. Pause.... click and treat. Make sure you pause, and make sure the treat quickly FOLLOWS the click (but NOT at the same time or the click will be totally ignored in preference for paying attention to your hand and body language offering a treat!) Do that a fair number of times and leave it. Later, do it in different rooms at different times of the day, and go out into the yard and stuff too to generalise that the click ALWAYS means a treat is coming. They learn fast, trust me! They'll soon be very quick to prick up when they hear the click!
When you are training, if you stuff up and click the wrong thing, you still give the dog a treat; it was YOUR fault for stuffing up the timing of the click, NOT the dog! Yes you've just confused the issue for the dog, but you'll just have to be better next time! If you click, you reward. No questions.
It's a good idea to practise clicker timing without the dog too. Get someone to bounce a ball randomly (rather than rhythmically) and you have to click when it hits the ground or wall or where ever it's bouncing off; you get a feel for predicting it's movement and clicking at the right time. Get your friend to vary how fast they bounce it too. Try getting them to drop something else (a bit of paper, a set of keys) for different speeds etc too. Or try clicking on the SECOND bounce of a ball... Or you can pick a word while watching tv, and click every time it's said..... It does get better with practise! Just make sure your dog isn't around when your'e practising timing or you'll confuse the heck out of them! LOL!
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