I've been working my way through Ed's Marker training video (best buy I've made in ages), and I was wondering if loading the mark requires one training session or more. I know the video said to say the mark and treat 20-30 times. How can I tell when my dog (adult, average intelligence) has made the association?

I think lots of dogs are reinforced in their learning when it's repeated the next day and the next. If you mark and the dog looks expectantly for the reward, that's a good sign! :-)

Good for you. You will love marker training.



PS

I think others will chime in, too .... weekends are slow on dog-training boards, but I know we have many very enthusiastic marker trainers here.

Hi Becca,
Fun times ahead! For some dogs it might require just one session for it to click..(haha no pun intended) and it may take several sessions for others. You'll know he gets it when he comes to attention when he hears your mark. He will look for the reward.

To start I like to do the quick rapid 20-30 mark and treat and then I slow it down to the point the dog loses interest and then use the mark; immediate reengagement is a good indication to me that he gets it.

it took about 3-4 days and then bam our pup drooled and began trying to determine where the treat would be coming from when we said "yes"...thats when I knew she got it

To know that your dog has got the association of the mark is when you give the mark and he gets all excited that the reward is coming. He will literally engage you back just trying to get that mark word so that he can have a reward. Your mark word should also be your release word so say you have your dog in a sit to do the training you will know he understands when he jumps up and EXPECTS that treat to be put in his waiting mouth. I trained my adult dog from the sit so that I could reinforce the release with a gentle tug on the leash forward.

My puppy picked it up faster than my adult dog, but my adult dog had a totally different up bringing so everything was new to him and he wasn't sure about it at first. When I began charging the mark I would do as many as I could before my puppy/dog got tired of it as I want to quit with them wanting more so that they are very excited for the next session. I also began with a ready for training phrase, I use "are you ready" I say this and give them a few freebies so they associate the words with good things. Then I began charging the mark training and when they got really into it I would quit and say "all dont". In about 3 2 minute training sessions my puppy got the hang of it, it took my adult about 4-5 short (30 seconds - 1 minute) training sessions for 3 days.

Thank you. Am I correct that the dog doesn't have to be looking at me when I say the 'yes'? So long as he is close and paying most of his attention to me (he's super food motivated, so that's not a problem).

Unfortunately, now my husband in in love with malinois, and I am so not the right owner for one.

That is correct Becca. When charging the mark you aren't asking for or expecting any behavior from the dog; the simple "yes!" and giving a treat is the "training". It shouldn't take long at ALL for the pup to be swinging his head toward you the moment you say yes, and wanting more of what you have to offer!

 Quote: Becca Fuentes

... Unfortunately, now my husband in in love with malinois, and I am so not the right owner for one.

If this is a future thing not the dog you are now charging the mark with), I urge that you begin a thread about it and (PLEASE) not acquire a Mal based on anyone's loving the breed.

Don't worry Connie, it my my way of joking about how much my husband admired one of the dogs on the video (Rush, I think). We're both very sensible about pets.

I did a short session of charging the mark this morning. I don't think Sutter has ever been so focused on me. He didn't even flick an ear when an ambulance went by in full wail--something he usually reacts to.