Intermittent reinforcement is a clicker training technique used to stop the dog anticipating the delay between the behaviour being started and the treat being delivered.

For example, if you are training a “sit” behaviour and you treat the dog the instant his bottom hits the floor, the dog will expect the treat to be delivered immediately every time.

However if you are inconsistent in the time period that passes before you click and treat, the dog will learn to be patient and wait for the click.

My general rule is you can delay the time between the dog sitting and you clicking but you cannot delay the time between the click and the treat delivery.

The treat must be delivered ASAP after the click. You will notice that I make statements like (hold his gaze for 2 seconds then click and treat. Next time hold out for 7 seconds then click and treat. Next time wait 1 second then click and treat and so on.)

This is how you reinforce a behaviour intermittently.