While it may not be necessary for learning to occur, a clicker is an excellent tool that, when used properly, can facilitate better training. ... Animals can and do learn without deliberate human-created markers; a marker may not be needed when reinforcement can be delivered immediately.

Is clicker training good or bad?

If you misuse your clicker (clicker training) and treats you may end up with a fat, happy, out-of-control dog, but you're far less likely to do any long-term physical or psychological damage. The ideal, of course, is to have a healthy, happy, well-behaved dog.

Do clickers really work?

Clickers can't be used to “correct” a dog; they are useful only for marking desirable behaviors. ... But using the clicker to correct these behaviors requires you to mark and reward your dog when they make an alternative choice that is preferable to the problem behavior.