Hambone (~11yo Husky) and I are learning marker training together--hand touch.

Last night, we had a session and I put my hand in various places by his head and he would touch gently. I would mark and reward.

He was sitting down and I put my hand down near the floor. He reached his nose for it, almost broke his sit (he was sitting on his own choice), so he sat back, looked at my hand, looked at me, back at the hand, and reached his paw out and gently touched. I marked it. I tried again, and he repeated so I repeated.

Curious, I moved so he would stand and I started over. Hand near face, nose touch, reward. Hand above head, bounce up, nose touch, reward. Hand near the floor, wrist high, paw touch. I rewarded. In a sit again, hand above head, pulled both paws into the air, and touched. Reward.

He does try to touch with his nose and if he can't, he honors my request by touching with his paw.

He seems to be having fun trying to figure it out now that he knows 'yes" means reward. Is it wrong to reward for the paw touching my hand if he can't comfortably reach my hand by stretching his neck? I marked because it seemed to show a willingness to comply and a "thoughtfullness" of how to do what he needed to do to get me to treat. Am I wrong?

It's not necessarily "wrong" but by doing that you are making the hand touch a more grey area, instead of black & white.

I teach my dogs different body parts and use different words for them. I don't mark & reward unless they touch with the body part I am asking for.

I use "nose" if I want them to use their nose, "touch" if I want them to use paws and "bye" if I want them to touch me with the right shoulder.

That's exactly the answer I was looking for. I do want to break it down into individual touches on command. So, I need to rethink what I am doing. At least I know he is "thinking" about the problem.

But, that brings up a question...when do I use the word nose, paw, etc. commands instead of just using my hand and rewarding for the touch? That has me confused. Adding the word. I will watch the DVD again. It has to be in there somewhere and I missed it.

Thanks for answering Cindy. I really want to learn how to do it right.

What would be the benefit of having the dog touch you with his right shoulder? Is that just for heeling?

I use the hand touch as release/reward in AKC obedience so what I teach my dogs is that if the hand is held out flat, they are to nose bonk it.

I have other hand signals to indicate touching me with other body parts. For example. if I make a fist, they are to touch it with their paw.

Like others have said, I would not reward unless they do what I requested. When I first started training Frost, she would nose bonk but than touch with both paws. You can see it at the end of this video of her around 11 weeks (note: I have no formal "marker" training so don't take my video as a way to do it <vbg>:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dDHfixCXe4

I let it go the first couple times but than started not rewarding unless she bonked with the nose and only the nose. Good luck!

When I want Yote to touch me with his nose I use an open palm with my thumb across it, when I want him to touch me with his paw I make a fist.

He also figured out on his own to use each front paw depending on which hand I hold out for him to touch.

I don't add the word until they have a firm grasp on the hand signal, but I talk so much, both in general and to them ,that really hand signals are my main form of giving a command.

To add it, once they are at 90% or better with no distractions I just say the word at the same time as I give the hand signal.

I have no idea if that is the right way to do to it or not, but it works for me.

I've been 'trying' not rewarding for the paw touch when I want a nose touch. BUT! I figured out he would use his paw when he was in the down because he doesn't break the down unless I say okay. And he won't move from a sit to nose the hand. May be due to his spondylosis. So, I break down and reward him because he tries...NOT the thing to do I know.

Hambone tries so hard but he isn't the brightest bulb...my big handsome guy! He also doesn't lick, nuzzle, etc with his muzzle, so this is a big step for him. Still, I try to set him up to "win".

Jennifer: **The thumb over the palm works better for him. I think you suggested to me once before and I have been using it with much success!. Without it, he doesn't know if I mean stop or touch. **** Great you posted again because I have been forgetting to do that with him.

He may never be 90% (which means no command word with the touch) but I just want to get him interactive, having a job (since he no longer patrols the farm), and enjoying doing something. And, an added benefit is he is watching me and listening to me more, so his aggression is down quite a bit. YAY!

AND! We have advanced to using the clicker thanks to him watching Miss Lucy get yummy treats and praise during her marker training. ( I still use the yes marker with him at other sessions since he is used to it and I work with him from a distance on other things, but the clicker conditioning is part of training to reduce sudden starts at sharp noises. )

And Ingrid, I am entralled with Frost! I've been checking her out over the past few months and Wow! What a beauty and joy to behold!

If you want to train the two separate body parts to touch with you could start out by always using the open palm in a position where you know he will touch with his nose, and the fist or whatever you use for a paw touch in a position where you know he will touch with his paws.

He should learn the difference between the two hand signals fairly quickly.

That's a good idea. I will try that and see if he gets more enthusiastic. He should because I would be setting him up to do something right AND something he is comfortable with.