This video was written and produced by Ed Frawley. It's goal is to introduce the dog trainer to the world of marker training in dogs. It sets the stage for the series of traning DVD's that Ed later produced with Michael Ellis.

Marker training (also called clicker training) is one of the most profound systems of training dogs that I have seen in my 50 years of owning, breeding and training working dogs.

In reality this is a training system that is not that difficult to learn. In it's most basic form it's a method of communication that is very very clear for the dog. Dogs learn the marker language quickly and when they do they thrive in the training. The marker system produces dogs that love to train.

I had been training dogs for almost 45 years when I started to learn this system. I felt like a kid in a candy store when I saw how well it worked and the attitude of my dogs that were being trained with markers. The fact is I still feel like that when I see dogs work with markers.

It was not that many years ago (in 1990’s) that I was pretty vocal about how stupid I thought clicker training was. Those comments were made from a position of ignorance and a lack of understanding. Simply put, I was dead wrong and I made those comments without knowing the details of how the system worked. The power of marker training lies in understanding and applying the details.

Dog training is a learned skill. The goal of this DVD is to introduce dog trainers to the details of training with markers. In my DVD I show and demonstrate the finer points of the marker system. I not only demonstrate the use of markers in the basic commands, but I also included examples of how markers can be used in more difficulty exercises, like the retrieve and the send away.

Trainers must understand the details of this system if they are to be successful. Once they grasp the concept and learn to apply it to their training they create dogs that become problem solvers and dogs that love the work.

The concept markers can be applied to any dog sport, including bite work.

You can get a feel for the content of this DVD by going to my web site and reading the article I wrote on The Power of Training with Markers.

Marker training can be started on 8 week old puppies or 6 year old dominant rescue dogs. It is a purely positive method of training dogs that is 100% non-confrontational. That is one of the reasons it can work with dominant dogs. This system goes a long way towards building or repairing the bond between handler and dog.

While I sincerely believe that training dogs with the motivational methods of marker training is the best way to train a dog, I also believe that this work needs to be balanced by introducing corrections into the more advanced training. Purists would argue this point but in my DVD I discuss when and how certain dogs need corrections.

Since the early 1900’s dog training has been an evolving skill. We only need to look back to the 1970’s and the methods of William Kholer or Winifred Strickland to see how far dog training has improved is the last 25 years. In my opinion no one is ever going to reinvent a better way to train dogs than with markers. The only thing that we will see change will be people who do a better job of applying this method of dog training.

If you have trained dogs for years and think you are pretty good but you do not work with the marker system, I suggest you take a few days and study this DVD. You too may find a whole new method of K9 communication and it may re-ignite a fire in your belly to get out and train.

Table of Contents on our DVD:

1. What is Marker Training


2. 5 Core Words of Marker Training


3. How to Start Marker Training
   • Charge the Mark
   • When to Use the Clicker over the Marker YES


4. Delivery of Reward


5. Placement of the Reward


6. How to Offer Food Rewards Safely
   • Low Food Drive Dogs


7. Vary How You Reward
   • Hand Muggers
   • Food Rewards
   • Ask Your Dog What He Likes
   • Food Rewards vs Toy Rewards


8. Splitting and Shaping
   • Shaping Raine
   • Back-Chain an Exercise


9. LURING and Signals
   • Training the LOOK
   • Luring requires an Exit Strategy


10. When and How Do I Stop Using Food Rewards


11. Marker Train a Human


12. Adding Commands
    • When a Dog Does Not Perform a Command
    • Screw Up Cookies - When and How to Use them


13. Adding Duration with "GOOD"


14. Handlers need to learn patience


15. Negative Markers


16. Adding Corrections


17. Impulse Control and Distraction


18. Adult Dogs; Dominant Dogs; Rescue Dogs and Marker Training


19. Your Voice is a Powerful Tool - Use it


20. Using Food Rewards to Train Your Dog


21. Credits


22. Bloopers

April 9, 2010

Hi, Cindy.

Some time ago, I wrote to you asking for advice with my Samoyed who was not focusing in the heelwork. You advised me to by the set of 3 DVDs on (#4013).

Markers, food and tugs. I did this and I am reaping the benefits hand over fist. My friend's Bernese is really coming on beautifully as well. Levi, the Samoyed, qualified Class A at Championship show level today. (Off lead heel with one command after every halt. Recall to heel on the move. Retrieve dumbbell. 1 min sit stay, handler in sight. 5 min down stay, handler out of sight. Scent using handler's cloth). LeveI won with 97 percent, being the only dog to qualify with more than 90 percent. Thank you so much for your great advice.

We have just received the Michael Ellis Focused Heeling DVD. Yet another great production! Congratulations again on. Your achievement in the National show with Rush. Excellent!

Kind regards,
SAM

September 10, 2009

Cindy, Ed and Michael,

Training Dogs with Markers and The Power of Training Dogs with Food are great tools. The first time I wrote to Cindy my 3 year old was 10 months old and had just gotten kicked out of obedience training because of a sudden onset of dog aggression and then people aggression. Of course when this happened I was at a loss of what to do as were the trainers, I guess, since I was never allowed to come back to train with her. Our vet put her on clomicalm since she lost twelve pounds. One person offered me the name of a dog trainer with the caveat that she had just heard the name but did not know him or his method. I called him, drove 70 miles signed a contract, wrote a check and proceeded to spend three months with him trying to make her sit but nearly strangling her with a choke chain. I then took Cindy's advice and ordered some DVDs. Correcting aggression was difficult since we had no other contact with dogs (and I was scared to death of meeting people!!) but we started roaming around town looking for situations and still do. Anyway Macha's self esteem had really taken a hit during those times and she didn't enjoy training, she had no appetite and lost weight and saddest of all had lost trust in me. My self esteem took a hit too and I suffered from a lot of guilt because I ruined this beautiful, smart, loving dog. Since we have started the marker training (which we had used before) but now with rewards versus compulsion and all the knowledge that you all have passed on in the DVDs there has been an immediate change in this dog. She eats breakfast during the morning training and at the evening feeding she is actually wolfing down her food. She walks proud on our walks and actually wants to train and her excitement level is high during training. She even initiated a friendly contact with a man we see and stop to speak to every day. Both he and I were stunned and pleased and now Macha looks for him every day. Four little dogs attacked their fence as we walked by yesterday and were very aggressive towards Macha. Well we stayed there for fifteen minutes and talked to their owner, a very nice eighty year old, helped her put her trash out and Macha lay at my feet and did not show one bit of aggression to these little barking machines! This dog will never compete or show but I will order the series of DVDs because I believe a dog needs purpose in life, just like us. Thank you for the last three years and keep up the good work.

Beverly

September 3, 2009

I was very impressed with the Training Dogs with Markers video and can't wait to get my hands on the Training Dogs with Food video. The results I've achieved so far with my 7 month old GSD Jack have been impressive and I can't wait to incorporate Michael's methods in my training.

Thanks and keep up the good work!

August 3, 2009

I have just started viewing the marker training DVD and love it. The DVD is clear and easy to process (many other dog training videos are taped during a conference so they are difficult to follow and to hear), as a teacher I also like that you address different learning styles: auditory, visual etc... and give clear examples.

Thanks again for providing such productive training videos!

Geralyn

April 4, 2009

Hi Ed,

I sent you an email back on February 18 which you replied to the same. My next email (Mar 3) might have pissed you off, but now that I've got your newest DVD "The Power of Training Dogs with Markers" I want to let you know my initial first impression of it. FABULOUS!!! I've only watched a little of it, but want to say you should really be proud of yourself, both for what you've produced and even MORE importantly, your willingness to admit you were wrong, and learn something new (which, I have to add, IS the BEST thing to come along in a long time in training dogs... and people. I just LOVED your dancing around the chair when Cindy was training you. You're a quick learner, lol!!! And a talented dancer! Anything for M&Ms, eh?!!).

Even the opening of the DVD, before the menu, is the best that I've seen come out of Leerburg (no, I don't have ALL your DVDs/Vides, and now I'm going to hold off buying any more until the NEW Marker Training based ones become available!). With my own knowledge/experience of this approach to training going back to 1991, I know that your upcoming productions will be vastly different from the old ones. I can wait, and I'm very excited. You've really got your work cut out for you, and you're going to have a GREAT time exploring all the ways this approach can be used. And you will have a lot of fun, too!

Well, I'm going to continue viewing this wonderful DVD... and, like you, I am not a purist about this approach. Every dog is different, and of course one has to learn what works for each dog. Kinda like raising kids (and raising parents, lol!).

My professional background is in Graphic Design (practicing and teaching for a total of 30 years, retired early); I'm going to make notes as I watch the rest of this DVD, and will give you feedback/suggestions that might help your future productions. Or just let me know if you don't want to know what I think... I won't be offended! Really!!!

Anyway, good for you. I'm so pleased and excited. Will start putting aside some $$$ each month towards the Next Great DVD!!!

Well done, Ed!

Susan

PS Thanks SO much for including your "bloopers." Did you see "Grumpy Old Men" and "Being There?" Loved their bloopers at the end, too! Really makes for a good laugh at the end of good movies, and your DVD!!! Have fun!

March 27, 2009

I finished the marker DVD. LOVED it. need to learn how to breakdown behaviors. I have 2 opposite dogs: one who will act like Raine and pull out every behavior he knows (gsd/formosan mt. dog) and the other who will give up and lay down (husky). It is easier working with the gsd/mix but it is a joy to excite drive in the husky. I keep her behaviors very simple in order to keep her mind engaged and always train her recall since it has been slipping lately. (She is starting to become too independent of a thinker as her breed is prone to be).

Marker training is AWESOME. I love it. And because I have a dominant (re-covering aggressive) dog (gsd/formosan mix), it is always a joy when he is anxious, for example when a new person comes to the house, to just start giving him behaviors to do, he calms down and realizes that he is pleasing the crowd and LOVES it! Giving him KNOWN behaviors (touch, place between the legs, sits, downs, jumps, jump over an obstacle, go under another, tug/out) will always displace his anxiety and make him happy. Then he lays down and is quiet for the rest of a guests visit.

Distraction continues to be his nemesis though! And we continue to work on that by going to group classes. I use my foundational marker work with him while in class. I have the only dog who will do any agility thing I ask him to do, even if he is never done it, simply because he thinks its a game! While everyone else is coaxing their dog up wood walls or into square crates or tunnels, I just point, give him a word and boom, he is like a dog-in-the-box... works right out of the box with very little manual directions needed. I think its because I do so much marker training with him.

March 17, 2009

Hi Ed and Cindy,

I just love your videos and I’ve finally made time to begin watching the marker DVD (life’s been busy) but have been using marker training from the articles I’ve read on your site in the mean time. Anyway, I started watching the video, and my GSD/Formosan Mt. Dog, totally perks up when he hears you or cindy say “Yes!” Hilarious. And the husky LOVES it when the screen goes to a dog in training. She stares at the screen, fascinated. I have to watch the video on “low” audio so not to get them to confused (or put them away)!

And the part about dogs pulling out all their tricks when they’re getting “ready.” OMG! I didn’t realize that’s what my dog was doing when he was getting ready to be trained. I haven’t gotten in the habit of saying “ready” yet but he knows from my “behavior” (put on the treat bag, pull out the toys) that training is about to happen…so he pulls out EVERY single trick he knows. Including his least favorite (bang,you’re dead). Which totally almost made crack up because he really dislikes that trick (being dominant)…but he pulled out that one on his own last night after getting “ready” and I had to do everything to keep from cracking myself up!

Anyway, your videos and your information have really changed my dominant handler aggressive dog (who’s no longer handler aggressive) and my relationship with both my dogs. It’s such a joy working with them with marker training. Even now when my dominant dog resists something new (like putting on his silly mardi gras hat for a photo opportunity)… I just pull out the treats and mark the right behavior (not mouthing me or the hat, not running away from me, sniffing the hat, letting me put it on his head, letting me put the strap under his chin, to “good” while he leaves it on his head)…and within a few minutes I have a dog wearing a hat, posing for his camera shot! And a DOMINANT dog at that. which just cracks me up. The first month I had him, I couldn’t even show him a new collar, he’d try to bite my hand or the collar. The same was true for the prong. Now? none of that is difficult. Thanks to marker training.

Anyway, I’m going to finish the video this week and hopefully use the video to teach him to sit up and “wave” so the next time that all the people with “naughty” dogs in our dog training class are asked to raise their hand, I’ll have him sit up and wave instead of me. He LOVES to do tricks so it really takes the anxiety out of being in a class with dogs when I have him working. The trainers ask that question so it gives others the right tools to use in “placement” of their dogs (trying not to put the naughty dogs together, or for others to space themselves just right). Many of the people(trainers and dog owners/handlers) in our clinic have recognized how far he’s come and have really come to like him! (it’s a miracle… I never thought anyone would actually like him.)

Can’t wait to finish the video and move onto the Drive and Focus video…

Thanks again!

Julie

February 23, 2009

The Power of Training Dogs with Markers is the best dog training DVD! Very clear, detailed and to the point. It answered all of the questions we had left after going through a local clicker training classes with our dogs.

Thank you,
Anastasia

December 8, 2008

I received your new Marker Training DVD and must congratulate you and Ed for doing a spectacular job. I am so impressed by it - watched it twice already since I got it on Friday. The segments were well organized, concise, and to the point with great visual examples of the correct and incorrect methods. I believe I wrote Ed before telling him that the best part of your videos are the inclusion of the errors and pointing them out. To me, I learn best seeing what is the right and the wrong ways. This new DVD captures all of that and I love the part where you marker train Ed - that really put the perspective of the dog in perspective.

I used to work with trainers at Sea world training orcas and I wish this DVD were around then - you guys demonstrate marker trainer so much better and have definitely taken it to a new level. Even the small, but critical detail of looking at the target as a cue or signal is so frequently overlooked on my part and was definitely not part of the on-deck training years ago with the orcas. I will be recommending this spectacular production to the few colleagues I know in the animal training (e.g., dolphins, orcas, etc.) world.

Great work!
Jeffrey

November 30, 2008

I got the new DVD in the mail yesterday. I've viewed most of it but will definitely go through it over and over again. Since I've only titled one dog with marker training I still consider myself a newby to it. Even so I would recommend this video to any and all folks that want their dog to enjoy their training. It's fantastic! Super explanation of methods. Covers anything/everything about marker training that I can think of. I loved the chapter where Ed/Cindy's work force use the clicker to teach EACH OTHER how it works. Cindy even had Ed (he's old ya know) dancing around a chair. Worth the price of admission right there! If you've ever trained a dog, wanted to train a dog, thought about training a dog, this is easily one of the most informative DVDs I've seen to date. You've outdone yourself Ed/Cindy! You folks ROCK!

Bob

November 24, 2008

The marker video is fantastic!!! I will be able to do a much better job now and training will be much more fun for me and my dogs. A very clear and concise learning tool.

What a good job you did, both of you.

Thanks so much,

Debbie

November 15, 2008

I just can't praise you guys enough. I received my "The Power of Training with Markers" DVD Wednesday and it is outstanding!! I just love the program and the way you laid it out. The system makes a lot of sense and the dogs seem to love it. I love the way you all showed different dogs and also showed examples of people who were not previously familiar with marker training. Watching the difference in the one lady with her GSD and then Cindy with the same dog was great.It really makes an excellent point and shows how to bring energy into your training. Also, watching Cindy with Rush was really fantastic.

I admit to my own prior ignorance to marker/clicker training. So, this has been a real "eye opener" to me. When I was "charging the marker" with my dog, he started throwing behaviors at me even though I wasn't giving any commands! I will be videotaping my training with him so I can go back and critique myself. I already have caught myself offering the treat too soon in relation to the "yes."

You guys just keep getting better and better. Thanks.

Sincerely,
Janelle

November 7, 2008

I got the Marker Training DVD today- what an accomplishment! It is very detailed and easy to follow, amazing work. I can't believe how much information is in it, and it is laid out so well. I thought I was pretty good with marker training, but I have only watched about half of the DVD and I have already seen several things that I need to change. It makes a HUGE difference watching someone do this work as opposed to reading about it. I will be recommending it to everyone in my puppy class!

(That is a great cover, by the way!)

Please pass along a big thanks to Ed for the work he does. DVDs like this are such a valuable resource, I hate to think where I (and thousands of others) would be without the Leerburg DVDs, articles, and forum. You guys do a great service.

I hope everyone is well there, thanks again for all your help,
Sarah