Marker Training
The term "marker" refers to a word or sound that predicts one of the four quadrants of operant conditioning: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment. If a word or sound reliably indicates any of these outcomes, it is considered a marker.
Initially your main focus will be on conditioning a positive reinforcement marker.
Simple Version
Say “Yes” and then deliver the puppy a treat.
Say “Free” and then entice the puppy to come get the treat as you move away from them or toss the treat on the ground.
Overview
This is a form of Classical Conditioning; a neutral stimulus (sound) that originally has no meaning to the dog but if it always predicts something like a treat then the dog becomes classically conditioned to expect food after they hear that sound.
Dogs have 1 second to associate a behavior with an outcome. If a dog sits you either need to get the primary reinforcer (treat/toy/praise) in their mouth within a second or you need to mark it with your marker sound (conditioned reinforcer) within a second.
This is why it’s called a marker. You are marking the exact moment the dog is doing a behavior you like.
Once the dog understands that the marker always predicts a reward you can take your time giving them the treat after you have marked as they understand they are being rewarded for what they were doing when they heard the marker.
This is the foundation of dog training and it’s important you understand it and how it works. Watch the videos below and really try to digest all the information in this handout.
Look through this handout to help build automatic attention: Engagement Training
Free Shaping
When the dog is conditioned to the sound you can also use the markers to free shape behaviors. See the Free Shaping handout for more information.
Perhaps your dog just laid on their bed on their own. You can mark and reward that. Doing this often will pay off in the future as the dog will start to perform those behaviors more frequently since sometimes they produce a reward.
Videos
Intro to Marker Training - Part 1
Learn about the science behind classical conditioning and how it applies to marker training.
Intro to Marker Training - Part 2
Learn about the 2 types of reward markers and how to start conditioning your dog to those sounds.
Intro to Marker Training - Part 3
Learn how to use the markers for training once the dog is conditioned to the sounds.
Take Treats Nicely
If your dog takes treats too aggressively, mouthy, or with too much teeth then you’ll want to show them how to take food calmly before teaching markers.
See this video for tips on how to do just that.
Importance of Engagement Training
Learn why it’s so important to have a dog that engages with you and understands their markers.
Reward Event
Learn how to create a whole event out of your reinforcement to build their drive and motivation to work with you.
The trainer in this video is using “Yes” as a terminal marker (reward+release), whereas I use “Free” as my terminal marker.
Marker Types
There are multiple markers you can use for training to help communicate with your dog. These, along with verbal commands are your communication channels to talk to your dog. This list will cover just the basic ones we’ll need.
It’s important these markers are pinpointed at the exact time of the behavior you either want to reinforce or stop. This is the timing aspect of training.
Dogs learn through patterns and predictability. So stay consistent and show them what the marker sounds mean by what they predict.
YES
Continuation marker to mark the exact moment of wanted behavior and it predicts a reward being brought to the dog. It doesn’t change the circumstances, i.e. if the dog is in a commanded sit-stay, they remain in the sit-stay, and if the dog is not in a sit-stay, they can do whatever they want.
GOOD
Another Continuation marker to tell them they are doing a good job and to keep doing it. A treat is not guaranteed and you don’t need to pay them. This is a form of praise. This is used more later in training when you are fading the treats and working on stays.
FREE
Terminal marker to mark the exact moment of wanted behavior, but also releases the dog from the command, i.e. they can get up from their sit-stay. The dog will receive a treat for this but they need to go get it if you are not right next to them. This one is really helpful in early stages of teaching new behaviors.
OK/BREAK
Release command (not a marker) to tell the dog they are released to go do as they please. They are no longer under any obligation to pay attention. There is no reward for this. If the dog remains in position you can coax them out or leave them be as they are released to do what they want.
NOPE
Non-reinforcement marker to tell the dog they messed up and need to stop/go back to previous position (broke a stay) or try again (if they sit instead of downing) It’s followed by either the removal of the reward or leash pressure/hand signal guiding the dog back into the correct position. They’ll learn this as you crate train and teach implied stay.
How to Condition Reward Markers
Overview
When doing the following steps it’s suggested you start by using meal time to do this for the first couple days and feed them from your hands. You can also use their kibble throughout the day if you want to get more reps in. Depending on the dog they may not be motivated to even look at you for their kibble so then treats might be necessary or they just aren’t that hungry and you can try again later.
Be careful not to mark and treat at the same time; the treat must follow the marker and should not precede or coincide with it. This is called pairing or overshadowing. The physical movement will always overshadow the verbal. This is the number one mistake dog owners tend to make.
Conditioning Steps
Grab a handful of kibble or treats.
Bring your hands close to your face, under your chin.
When the dog looks at your hand/face, say your marker word THEN move your hand and give them a treat.
Alternate between hands and between your continuation marker “Yes” and terminal marker “Free”.
Vary how much time you’re pausing between marks. You can also start moving your hand away from your face or hiding behind your back and mark when the dog looks at you. They’ll learn that looking at you is what activates the treat, not looking at the hand.
Do the exercise many times a day for a few minutes at a time until, when you mark, you notice that your dog is very excited and anticipating the treat (open mouth, lick, tail wag, etc) BEFORE you move your hand.
Alternately you can mark when they aren’t looking at you and if their head snaps quickly to find you then you know they are conditioned
Once they have been conditioned to the markers you can mark whenever they are doing something you like. If they happen to look at you or sit for example, you can mark THEN reach for your treat and reward them. You now have as much time as they are staying focused to give them the reward.
Tips
Make sure you ALWAYS reward them after you say the marker and you only mark once. You are creating a pattern that after the marker sound a treat comes, if they hear two “Yes” markers then a treat, then they hear one “Yes” then three “Yes” then a treat, there is no consistent pattern.
Remember to have fun! Break it up by giving your dog praise and pets. Move around and have them chase you after you say “Free”.
Reinforcement - Transfer of Value
Reinforcement is the #1 most important thing in training. Reinforcement builds behavior.
See also information on the Premack Principle as that is essentially what you are doing when you transfer the value.
Reinforcement Categories
There are five reinforcement categories. Some are more valuable (initially) to your dog.
Attention (Looking, sounds, scolding)
Food (Treats, meals, how are you delivering it, what are they doing when you deliver it)
Cues that they know that were built through reinforcement (cues are powerful reinforcers)
Toys (tug, tossed)
Activities (walk, car ride, swim, chasing things, barking, agility, sniffing) These start to work once you start to put permission before them.
What are your dog's reinforcers?
Food - What food does your dog love? Make a list, and go crazy with it. Find out which one he loves best (it can change during their life and what is going on).
Toys - make a list of toys you would love your dog to love. What would be convenient in your training if they loved these certain things?
Activities - What activities does your dog love? Meeting people, chasing, sniffing, etc.
What are reinforcements your dog is getting daily that you may not want them to be getting? Barking out window, fence fighting, chewing furniture, etc.
How Reinforcement Works
When a dog receives reinforcement, it triggers a release of dopamine in their brain, which brings them pleasure. Scientific research has demonstrated that when training with food, the mere sight of food leads to an initial dopamine release in dogs. However, if food is consistently used as a lure in training, the dopamine release diminishes over time.
In contrast, food luring does not create an addiction to training in dogs the way reinforcement-based choice learning does. Initially, there may be a dopamine release when the food lure is presented, but it quickly diminishes.
The "choice point" occurs when a dog makes a decision and can anticipate that reinforcement is on its way. This is when the dopamine release happens. That's why incorporating choice into training leads to multiple dopamine releases in dogs, and they develop a genuine enthusiasm for training.
Transfer of Value
When you know what your dog finds reinforcing, it will take a lot of the frustration out of your training and life with your dog (for both you AND your dog, after all, your dog is not purposefully frustrating you, they are just providing you with great information).
Rather than lamenting about things your dog does or does not do and asking, “why does my dog do that?” or “how can I stop my dog from doing that?” you can ask yourself, “where’s the value for my dog?” And “how can I build value for what it is I want my dog TO DO?”
That one question “where’s the value?” Is a powerful one.
When you know what your dog LOVES more than anything else in the world, you can use those things to build a positive and joyful relationship where you and what you want your dog to do will take on the value of what your dog loves.
Your aim is to shift the value of certain rewards to areas that are beneficial for both you and your dog. How can you make what they love align with what we want them to love?
For instance, let's say your dog responds to your call but instead of giving them a treat as usual, you try to engage them in a game of tug with a toy. In response, they express their disappointment, saying, "That's not the agreement! I expect a cookie, not a game of tug."
To address this, you dedicate time to reinforce the game of tug or fetch by providing their meal after each retrieval. This way, the game of tug or fetch becomes associated with the opportunity to receive a higher-value reward, making it reinforcing. You start with rewarding one tug with a treat every time, then progress to rewarding two tugs, then three, and so on.
By doing this, you successfully transfer the value of food into the activity of tugging or fetching, allowing you to utilize it as a reinforcement for other desired behaviors.
Permission
Permission is an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to training dogs. It means that everything the dogs desire or enjoy must come through their owners. In a dog's mind, there is a hierarchy of rewards, and the opportunity to interact with their owner surpasses all others because all good things come from them. This is the ultimate goal!
When all the things a dog loves are provided by their owner first, the dog starts associating the value of those things with their owner. Consequently, the owner becomes the most valuable thing to the dog.
For example, if a dog wants to sniff something, eat something, or play with a specific item (based on the owner's list of the dog's preferred activities), the owner can ask the dog to sit, make eye contact, or perform another action before granting permission to engage in the desired activity. By doing so, all the actions leading up to the rewarding activity become equally satisfying for the dog.
Homework
Markers
Follow the steps above 2-4 times a day (preferably more). These can be brief 1-5 minute sessions. The dog should be conditioned to the markers within 2-5 days. If you aren’t seeing any reaction after saying “yes” but before moving your hand they aren’t conditioned and you may need to look at your timing.
Make sure to practice in multiple places. “Yes” predicts a reward in the kitchen AND outside AND everywhere else.
Once conditioned, observe your dog throughout the week and mark and reward whenever you notice them giving you quiet attention or any other desirable behavior. (Free shaping)
If the dog jumps on you or exhibits other rude behaviors simply turn around, look away or leave. Only mark when they are doing something you like. They are just trying to figure out what gets them the treat in your hand.
Practice charging the marker for 30-60 seconds before your training sessions.
Treats
Let your dog show you what they find most rewarding and willing to work for. This could be treats, toys, pets. Stock up on their favorites and vary the treats you use.
Positive Reinforcement
Your job in this early stage of training is to set your dog up to win and to prevent losses. Focus on showing your dog that learning is fun, listening is fun, and that they are really happy to be training. Use their favorite treats and reinforce them instantly when they do something you like or ask.
Praise
On top of conditioning them to understand that your markers “Yes” and “Free” equals a treat, consciously try to link up praises like “Good” “Good job” “Way to go,” etc. with something that makes your dog feel good. This could be pets, treats or toys.
This will become praise that let’s them know they are doing good, makes them feel good, but isn’t a guarantee of a reward. This tends to occur naturally but it can help to make a conscious effort.