ClickerExpo Seattle

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

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Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Clicker training (marker training)

A method that pairs a distinct signal, usually the click of a box clicker or a verbal marker such as 'yes', with a reward so the animal learns exactly which behaviour earned reinforcement. At ClickerExpo the term covers the whole science-based approach taught across species, from pet dogs to zoo animals.

2

Marker signal

The sound or gesture that marks the precise moment a behaviour is correct, then is followed by a reinforcer. Precision of timing is the core skill instructors work on in ClickerExpo handling sessions.

3

Bridging stimulus

A signal that bridges the gap between the behaviour and the delivery of food or play, especially useful when the reward cannot be handed over instantly. The clicker is the classic example in terrestrial training, while whistle or hand signals are common in marine mammal work.

4

Secondary reinforcer

A stimulus that gained value by being paired with a primary reinforcer such as food. The click, a whistle or the word 'good' are secondary reinforcers that let trainers reinforce at a distance.

5

Shaping

Building a complex behaviour by reinforcing successive approximations, one small step at a time, instead of waiting for the finished behaviour. Shaping plans are a staple of ClickerExpo labs because they expose timing and criteria-setting skills.

6

Capturing

Reinforcing a behaviour the animal offers naturally, without prompting, and then putting it on cue. Common with behaviours such as a stretch, a sneeze or a head turn.

7

Luring

Using food or a target to guide an animal into position. Useful for fast results, but ClickerExpo coursework usually pushes trainers to fade the lure quickly so the animal responds to the cue rather than the hand.

8

Targeting

Teaching an animal to touch a designated object, such as a hand, target stick or mat, with a body part. Targeting underpins husbandry, vet cooperation, stationing and many competition skills.

9

Successive approximation

Each incremental step toward a final behaviour that gets reinforced during shaping. Deciding when to raise or lower criteria is one of the most discussed practical skills at the conference.

10

Rate of reinforcement

How many reinforcers an animal earns per unit of time. Low rates usually signal a training plan that is too hard or too fast, and trainers at ClickerExpo learn to log and adjust it.

11

Criteria

The specific standard a behaviour must meet before it earns reinforcement, such as duration, distance, speed or precision. Sessions on stimulus control focus on splitting criteria rather than lumping them.

12

Cue

The signal that tells an animal which behaviour will pay. A cue is only considered reliable when the animal performs the behaviour on that cue, does not perform it for other cues, and does not perform it when no cue is given.

13

Poisoned cue

A cue that has become associated with unpleasant consequences and now predicts something the animal wants to avoid, producing slow or reluctant responses. Rebuilding such cues is a recurring case-study topic in behaviour sessions.

14

Extinction burst

A temporary increase in intensity or frequency of a behaviour when it stops being reinforced. Trainers are taught to plan for it so they do not accidentally reinforce the escalation.

15

Behaviour chain and back-chaining

A sequence of behaviours linked together, taught by reinforcing the last behaviour first and working backwards. Common in freestyle routines, agility sequences and cooperative care protocols.

16

ABC (antecedent, behaviour, consequence)

The functional analysis framework used to read why a behaviour keeps happening: what happens before it, what the animal does, and what follows. Underpins most behaviour-case discussions at the event.

17

LIMA (least intrusive, minimally aversive)

The ethical hierarchy that asks trainers to try the least intrusive effective intervention first. It is the working standard across the clicker training community gathering at ClickerExpo and shapes discussion of tools and equipment on the expo floor.

18

Desensitisation and counterconditioning

The paired techniques of reducing a fear response by gradual, sub-threshold exposure while conditioning a positive emotional response to the trigger. Frequently applied to vet visits, noise sensitivity and handling.

19

Session level (L1, L2, L3)

The way ClickerExpo groups sessions by attendee experience, so a first-time clicker user and an advanced instructor can each build a schedule that matches their handling skills and background.

20

Working spot vs audit spot

Some practical formats let an attendee handle an animal or take an active role, while audit spots watch and take notes. Check which format each 2027 session uses before registering, since capacities differ.

21

TAGteach

A clicker-based teaching technology that applies marker-plus-reinforcer principles to human learners, such as coaches, teachers and medical instructors. It appears in the ClickerExpo programme as the human-application branch of marker training.