Ready, Set, Mark!

The ability to communicate with our dogs is a fascinating thing. Even though we have completely our bodies are nothing alike, we make different sounds, and observe the world through a different lens, we can navigate the world as a solid team. 

One of the very important skills that a trainer (and that means you!) possesses, is the ability to give feedback. And we can do that much more clearly with the use of what is called a ‘marker’.
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FEEDBACK TO OUR DOGS can be in the form of something positive, or negative. It is a constant loop from learner to teacher, and it is happening whenever we get any sort of consequence.
Without going into all the science-y, complex definitions used to explain them, let's focus on just one today.

Positive reinforcement is essentially the addition of something the dog finds rewarding, used to increase the chance of a behaviour happening in more frequency (okay, sorry, there is one definition you have to remember).

Oftentimes that reinforcer (we’ll use the word reward from now on), is some type of food. Most dogs find a food reward very motivating, and it is an easy way to provide a quick and happy consequence when they do something we desire. 

BUT WHAT IS A MARKER?

• A sound that ends up standing in for what the food represents (a happy, good feeling).
• It indicates that the dog has done something correctly.
• Makes it easy to pinpoint those correct behaviours(if your timing is right!)

You may have heard of a clicker. Clicker training is used across many species due to the consistency of the sound, and how it is easily distinguishable from other noises. Some trainers use a whistle, for the same purpose. Another technique of marking is voice, because some trainers– no matter how experienced– can have a lead, a pouch, a dog and not enough hands to think about one more physical tool (not referencing any one author in particular…).

A SUCCESSFUL MARKER has clarity. If you are using a word, for example ‘Yes!’, that sound has to be  the same pitch and length each time. If you use general words, such as ‘Good’ or ‘Nice’, that vocabulary can turn up in normal conversation. It can also be easy to say in many different ways. The dog has to know very precisely what the sound is, and what is coming after.

If you were to go up to your dog right now and say a happy ‘Yes!’ right in his face, he would probably give you a very confused look. That’s because at first, the word does NOT mean happy, good feelings.

You have to LOAD that marker up to mean something. How do we do that? It’s a very quick process, if you follow the right system. If you are training in an easy environment, all you’ll need is some of your dog’s regular food, and your dog!

Loading a Marker

1. Ask your dog to do something very simple, like a sit.
2. When his bum touches the ground, say your marker. (‘Yes!’)
3. Give your dog a piece of his meal.
4. As his bottom stays on the ground, repeat your marker, and follow it with a food reward.

You may have to do a few short sessions of this, but it won’t take long for your dog to associate your marker with a reward. You can test whether or not your dog understands the marker by using it out of the blue, and seeing if he perks up and comes to you for some goodies. If he does, you know your marker has value!

The great thing about having a sound that can provide clear, positive feedback is that there can be a delay in the actual reward being delivered. If the marker makes the dog feel good, if you don’t happen to have a reward immediately, the dog still understands that he was correct in whatever he was doing.

​‘He only does it when I have food!’ is a common statement, and with a marker, you can make your dog work a lot more reliably without food over time.
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AND THERE YOU HAVE IT. A brief overview of one of the amazing tools you can tuck into your training toolbelt. Using a marker is a simple yet extremely effective communication technique, providing your dog with an understanding that will fast track any learning you embark on together.
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What are you waiting for…? Ready, set, mark!