Clicker training is based on classical conditioning. Dogs learn by operant and classical conditioning. We all do. That is science. There shouldn't be any debate about it. It works on all mammals from dolphins to llamas to tigers in the zoos (they train them now to be "nice" when they get their blood drawn or other medical procedures where they use to have to anestesize them). They clicker train circus dogs, movie actor dogs, therapy and other service dogs. Some of the best trained dogs are trained with clickers or the clicker concept.
When people say it doesn't work, I'd wager that it is not the method which doesn't work but something important they're leaving out of the method. It takes more than just a scanty amount of study, not a huge amount to get started, but some basic understanding of how dogs learn and the science of training, the ins and outs of the method and some practice. I've heard people say that the dog doesn't like treats, isn't hungry. Well, work with the dog before dinnertime. Deprivation increases the value of a treat. Use better treats. There has to be something that the dog
loves. Find out what it is and use it as a motivator. Make it more valuable with a little deprivation. Don't use it all the time for freebies. There are things to do to overcome the objections I often hear.
A Ridgeback is a hound, right? Hounds are not the easiest to train because they're bred to do their "job" quite independent of humans, right? It may be very difficult to find a motivator which out performs anything in the environment which is a motivator to the dog. You may have some serious competition with other things, in other words. But...if the trainer "plays their cards right," taking all factors into consideration, setting the motivator you're using up to be
very valuable, starting in a
very low to no distraction area, using a variable reward schedule once the dog has a behavior down, gradually adding distractions, I am quite sure a Ridgeback can learn from this too. I mean, if a llama and tiger can learn, why not a Ridgeback? LOL.
MK&C, I highly recommend you spend some time learning how it works. Most people read one little part of it and don't learn the rest and then say it doesn't work. They're, in many cases leaving something out.....I later find out.
I recommend you get a couple of books: Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson and Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor. Karen is the famous dolphin trainer (I think Sea World) who revolutionalized this highly effective method in the use of dogs.
Your breeder is not a trainer so that source is not reliable as far as an opinion on this goes. A lot of people make statements like that and they don't know anything about it. They grab a clicker and start clicking and the dog doesn't perform and they say it doesn't work. But, there's more to it than that. There's priming the clicker, there are other factors which are ignored.
Our breeder advised against because she said the dog always thinks theres a reward coming right after doing something. I understand, but can't I just wean him off treats? But I think it's a great idea.
That statement proves it. You have more common sense than your breeder. YES!!! You click and treat every time at first,
while the dog is learning the behavior (or skill) and then you go to a variable reward schedule which actually strengthens the behavior. But you need to really read and understand the whole thing to have the best success, so you know what you're doing. It's incredibly fun for both owner and dog. And training HAS to be fun. You get a dog who thinks better, is smarter, is much more enthusiastic about learning, who learns HOW TO learn. If you make a mistake, it's not damaging as it is when you make a mistake say...with the timing of punishment. There are so many detrimental side effects of punishment. I've used clicker training (sometimes no clicker, just the concept) with my Doberman and I tell you, it's wonderful to see it at work.
His heel was very sloppy and one time, he lagged or he'd forge. I decided to get busy, get out my clicker and clean it up. In one 20-30 minute session, he was looking spiffy. No collar yanks, jerks, scolding, forcing. If he heeled close to well, c/t. Then I'd wait for him to give me better....c/t. If he lagged, no c/t. If he forged, no c/t. When he was right next to me just so, c/t. We kept walking around, turning etc. He was getting the idea. If he wanted the treat, he figured out where he had to be. This was him thinking and figuring it out. It was not me dragging him to me, yanking, punishing. He trained himself! That's just one little example.
So, I hope you'll get those books. If you can't buy them, check in your library. They're wonderful and so explicit.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
Here's a great link. Take the time to study this before you start. And keep on studying as you go.
http://www.wagntrain.com/OC/