Clicker Trainer Course 2026/2027

Do you want to become really skilled at clicker training? Understand how and why, and become excellent in practice? Canis' clicker instructor course gives you a systematic overview of clicker training skills, from the first click to complete exercises. The course runs over half a year, with thorough coverage of important principles and practical training, so that key theoretical principles are transformed into established mechanical skills for the handler.

This course is perfect for you both...

• if you've already decided which dog sports you want to pursue, and you want systematic and structured training over a longer period with instructor guidance throughout
• if you're not quite sure which dog sport you want to pursue, but you know that you and your dog find training fun, and you'd like to learn much more!

The course is residential, with 4 weekends from October to April.

TIME & LOCATION

The residential weekends are:

• 10–11 October
• 14–15 November
• 13–14 February 2027
• 10–11 April 2027

The course weekends will be held indoors in our heated premises at Skedsmokorset, 11.00–17.00 both days. Each course day we alternate between theory and practical training, so the dogs get plenty of breaks and handlers get variety 🙂

We reserve the right to change course dates and times for the two weekends in 2027.

TOPICS:

• definition of clicker training, what is it really? (Hint: It's far more than just using a clicker! You don't even need a clicker to do clicker training…)
• learning techniques, advantages and disadvantages of the different methods
• how and why to work with your dog offering voluntary behaviour
• how and why we train for flow
• how and why we want a clicker-savvy, repetition-savvy dog
• stimulus control
• effective reward (reward placement, reward quality and adjusting stress levels)
• ABC of clicker training and behaviour analysis, learning theory
• classical conditioning, Pavlov and why it's important when we work with operant conditioning
• foundation skills, the dog's ABC
• planning training with criterion plans
• record-keeping and the 80% rule
• backwards chaining and forward chaining

EXAMINATION\
The course concludes with both theoretical and practical examination, both of which must be passed to receive a course certificate. The practical examination (final course weekend) consists of demonstrating your training through the behaviours you've worked on during the course from the behaviour list you receive at the first course weekend. At this first weekend you choose behaviour list and level (beginner, intermediate or advanced) based on the dog sport you wish to pursue, or already practise. If you're unsure about choosing a dog sport you'll receive tips and guidance from the instructor.

COURSE GOALS

Your dog should after the course:

- have learned the entire behaviour list and become very "clicker-savvy"

Handler should after the course:

• have good trainer skills
• have good theoretical knowledge of clicker training and behaviour analysis

PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE

All types of handlers and dog breeds are very welcome! 🙂

To get the most out of the course it's an advantage if you've completed some basic clicker training courses beforehand, for example Foundation Skills for Dog Sport Level 1. However, this is not a requirement, and it's possible to participate in the course without prior knowledge, but then you should have read thoroughly through at least one of these recommended textbooks before the course starts:

• Klikkertrening for din hund (Egtvedt & Køste)
• Lydighetstrening i teori og praksis (Egtvedt & Køste)
• Don't Shoot the Dog! (Karen Pryor)
• Målrettet miljøarbeid, del 1 (Horne & Øyen)

PRICE

The course fee is 15,000 kr. The course will be invoiced per weekend, that is 3,750 kr per weekend.

CONTACT

Feel free to contact instructor Marianne directly at marianne.mjelva@canis.no if you have any questions before you enrol 🙂