Mark & Move

 

Use this technique to help your dog make good choices while in tight places, on a walk, or up close to triggers.

 

Overview

  • The following information is paraphrased from Grisha Stewart’s BAT 2.0 book.

  • It can also be helpful to read the B.A.T. handout to get the whole picture of how these approaches can work together.

  • When it’s not possible to allow your dog to make their own choice to disengage (they're too close to their emotional threshold, a trigger came out of nowhere, you’re in a tight space) you will do your best to influence their behavior without being too distracting. The list below goes from the least intrusive to the most intrusive ways to change your dog’s behavior when they are about to lose their cool: 

    1. Empower: Arrange the situation in advance so the dog can freely explore. This is a form of management. 

    2. Manage space: Prompt retreat behavior after you see a cut-off signal. See the Prompting Away section of the BAT handout.

    3. Redirect: Prompt a cut-off signal before the dog makes a choice (This is when they are on the cusp of an outburst)

    4. Interrupt Reactivity: Remove all choices and pull the dog away, remove the trigger if possible, just get out of dodge! This is when the dog is over threshold and you should try to avoid these situations by following the previous 3 items more closely. 

 
 

How it Works

 
 

  • With this mark and move method you mark the best behavior you can reasonably wait for (look away, sniff, etc), move away, and then reinforce. You can mix and match markers and cues/commands, behaviors, and reinforcers given after moving away. You could mark “Free” when they turn their head away and feed as they catch up to you. Or you could cue “This Way” to get them come your way.

  • Just remember to reinforce after moving. The true reward is the distance they are creating from the trigger and the treat or toy you give them after they move away is just the cherry on top. 

  • Here’s an example of the most common approach: 

  1. The dog stops at a Choice Point. This is where they see a trigger and have some choices to make. 

  2. As the dog begins to disengage by looking away, mark the behavior with “Yes” or “Free”

  3. The dog begins to move towards you in anticipation of the reward, while you start moving away from the trigger. 

  4. Reach for your reinforcer (treat, toy) after you have started moving away.

  5. Deliver the reinforcer/reward. 

  • Remember to first try to give your dog a chance to make a choice but if their body language is telling you they are about to make a bad choice then step in with a prompt to redirect. This approach is different from other counter-conditioning techniques like the Engagement/Disengagement Game. That’s a good game to play as well but needs to be done when the dog is relaxed. You’ll end up mixing and matching many different approaches depending on the situation.

Look, Move, Treat

This is the simplest version of Mark and Move. It is useful for handling surprises in real life. Use this technique whenever the dog is likely to bark and lunge or panic if you were to let them check things out on their own. If a child pops out from behind a fence, just mark “Yes” (or call your dog) and go away giving them the treat after you moved away. 

  • Behavior: Dog looking at trigger

  • Marker: “Yes!” or “Free!”

  • Move: Move away and feed them the treat or toy

The behavior you are reinforcing here is simply noticing the trigger. This is like the Engagement/Disengagement Game except you don’t stick around to keep playing it, instead you move away. 

Choose, Move, Treat

This example of Mark and Move gives your dog more responsibility but you are still using a reward. The only difference between this example and the previous is that you are marking a different behavior than just looking at the trigger. You are waiting for a good choice. This is similar to the second part of the engagement/disengagement game, however that game wants them to look at you, for this example we will accept any form of disengagement from the trigger. 

  1. Dog sees trigger

  2. You wait for them to make a good choice

  3. Mark the moment they make a good choice and walk away

  4. Reward them when they get to you and keep moving a little

 

Drills to Practice

Here is a list of the typical approaches to triggers in order of easiest to hardest for dogs to overcome. Your dog may vary on what they have an easier time with. You can use these to create setups with helpers, or try to apply them to real life situations. If you know your dog is really bad with head on approaches then it’s best to make U-turn if that happens in real life until you can work on it more with a helper.

  1. Your dog approaching trigger, who is walking away. (Dog follows trigger)

  2. Your dog approaching stationary trigger from the side. As your dog begins moving, trigger walks away. 

  3. Trigger approaching your dog, who is walking away. (Trigger follows dog)

  4. Your dog approaching trigger, who is stationary, but turned fully away. 

  5. Your dog approaching trigger, who is stationary, but turned sideways. 

  6. Your dog approaching trigger, who is stationary and facing your dog. 

  7. Trigger approaching your dog, who is stationary, but fully turned away, and probably being fed. 

  8. Trigger approaching your dog, who is stationary, but turned sideways.

  9. Trigger and your dog approaching each other head on (slowly, possibly offset at first).

  10. Trigger and your dog approaching each other head on (rapidly).

 

Frustrated Greeters

If your dog is a frustrated greeter you should use Mark and Move a lot. They are less likely to move away on their own and tension will build up, so help them get reinforcement for moving away by prompting them. You are trying to build their self control. Here’s some self-control behaviors that you could reinforce by using the Mark and Move technique: 

  • Look away from other dog

  • Turning head away

  • Turning body away

  • Backing away

  • Sniffing ground

  • Sitting

  • Lying Down

  • Looking at you

  • Slowly stretching

If you feel your dog is ready to greet another dog here are a few tips: 

  • Have a good grip on your leash. 

  • Make sure it’s short enough to avoid tangling and has a few inches of slack so that it feels loose to the dog. 

  • Be ready to prompt the dog away if you see any stiffening, staring, holding breath, or other signs of trouble. 

  • Keep the greetings short at first, if they sniff another dog, mark and move!

  • If they greet a dog calmly but then give a cut-off signal like looking away, mark and move!