Dog training should be fun, but sometimes it feels more like another item on your ever-growing to-do list than an activity to enjoy with your four-legged best friend. There are plenty of ways to train your dog throughout the day without carving out an hour-long session.

The dog training industry is unregulated, which means that anyone can call themselves a trainer and there is no regulation on the methods or tools that trainers are allowed to use. Dog guardians should do their homework when picking a trainer, and part of doing that is knowing what tools they use to train.

A common tool you’ll see in a positive reinforcement dog trainer’s toolbox is a clicker. Clickers come in many varieties, but all serve the same purpose—to indicate (or “mark”) to the dog when they have done something right! Clear communication between you and your dog is the key to successful dog training.

Dog training is an unregulated industry. Anyone can call themselves a dog trainer, and it is up to you to be an educated consumer and advocate for your dog! You want what’s best for them, so your dog trainer should, too.