Editing Clicker training (section)

==History==

[[B. F. Skinner]] first identified and described the principles of operant conditioning that are used in clicker training.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Skinner |first1=B. F. |title=How to Teach Animals |journal=Scientific American |date=1 December 1951 |volume=185 |issue=6 |pages=26–29 |doi=10.1038/scientificamerican1251-26 |jstor=24950550 |bibcode=1951SciAm.185f..26S }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Skinner |first1=B. F |title=The behavior of organisms an experimental analysis |date=1938 |publisher=D. Appleton-Century |oclc=598598605 }}{{page needed|date=January 2021}}</ref> Two students of Skinner's, [[Marian Kruse Breland|Marian Kruse]] and [[Keller Breland]], worked with him researching pigeon behavior and training projects during World War II, when pigeons were taught to "bowl" (push a ball with their beaks).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Peterson |first1=G. |year=2000 |title=The Discovery of Shaping or B.F. Skinner's Big Surprise |journal=The Clicker Journal: The Magazine for Animal Trainers |volume=43 |pages=6–13 }}</ref> They believed that traditional animal training was being needlessly hindered because methods of praise and reward then in use did not inform the animal of success with enough promptness and precision to create the required [[Animal cognition|cognitive connections]] for speedy [[learning]]. They saw the potential for using the operation conditioning method in commercial animal training.<ref name=pmid22478446>{{cite journal |last1=Bailey |first1=Robert E. |last2=Gillaspy |first2=J. Arthur |title=Operant psychology goes to the fair: Marian and Keller Breland in the popular press, 1947-1966 |journal=The Behavior Analyst |date=2005 |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=143–159 |doi=10.1007/BF03392110 |pmid=22478446 |pmc=2755380 }}</ref> The two later married and in 1947 created Animal Behavior Enterprises (ABE), "the first commercial animal training business to intentionally and systematically incorporate the principles of behavior analysis and operant conditioning into animal training."<ref name=pmid22478446/>

The Brelands coined the term "bridging stimulus" in the 1940s to refer to the function of a secondary reinforcer such as a whistle or click.<ref name=pmid22478446/> ABE continued operations until 1990, with the assistance of Bob Bailey after Keller Breland died in 1965.<ref name=pmid22478446/> They report having trained over 15,000 animals and over 150 species during their time in operation.<ref name=pmid22478446/> Their positive methods contrasted with traditional training using aversives such as choke chains, prong collars, leash snapping, ear pinching, “alpha-rolling,” the [[shock collar]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dogingtonpost.com/three-popular-approaches-to-dog-training-explained/|title=Three Popular Approaches to Dog Training Explained|date=8 November 2019}}</ref> [[elephant goad]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Klein |first1=Joanna |title=How Zoo Animals Learn to Help Take Care of Themselves |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/science/colo-gorilla-zoo-animals.html |work=The New York Times |date=18 January 2017 }}</ref> [[cattle prods]],<ref>[https://smartdoguniversity.com/clicker-training-with-horses/] Clicker Training with Horses</ref><ref>[https://thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/clicker-dog-training/]  Why Use a Clicker for Dog Training?</ref> and [[elephant crushing]].

Although the Brelands tried to promote clicker training for dogs in the 1940s and 1950s, and the method had been used successfully in zoos and [[marine mammal training]], the method failed to catch on for dogs until the late 1980s and early 1990s.<ref name="Modern Training"/>  In 1992, animal trainers [[Karen Pryor]] and Gary Wilkes started giving clicker training seminars to dog owners.<ref name="Modern Training"/><ref>{{cite web|last1=Pryor|first1=Karen|title=History of Clicker Training I|url=http://www.clickertraining.com/node/153|website=Karen Pryor Clicker Treaining|publisher=Karen Pryor|access-date=6 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Wilkes|first1=Gary|title=What is Real Clicker Training?|url=http://clickandtreat.com/wordpress/?p=884|website=Gary Wilkes' Real Clicker Training|date=3 January 2014 |publisher=Gary Wilkes|access-date=6 July 2016}}</ref>  In 1998, Alexandra Kurland published "Clicker Training For Your Horse," which rejected [[horse training]] that uses [[aversives]] such as horsebreaking and the use of the [[spur]], [[bit (horse)]], [[crop (implement)]], and [[longeing]] with a [[Whip|horsewhip]]<ref name="Modern Training"/><ref>Kurland, Alexandra, "Clicker Training for Your Horse" (2004 edition, Ringpress Books), {{ISBN|1-86054-292-1}}.</ref> By the 1990s, many zoos used clicker training for animal husbandry because with this method, they did not have to use force or medication. They could be moved to different pens or given veterinary treatments with much less stress on the animals.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Forthman |first1=Debra L. |last2=Ogden |first2=Jacqueline J. |title=The role of applied behavior analysis in zoo management: Today and tomorrow |journal=Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis |date=1992 |volume=25 |issue=3 |pages=647–652 |doi=10.1901/jaba.1992.25-647 |pmid=16795790 |pmc=1279745 }}</ref> In the 21st century, training books began to appear for other companion animals, such as cats, birds, and rabbits (See "Further Reading").