Hello All,

I am new to the arena of dog training and was hoping I might be able to get some clarification on how to use marker training for basic commands such as Sit, Down, Come, and Stay.

Some background ... My dog is a 6 month old male German Shepherd named "Ranger". We have already completed a basic obedience program but would like to move onto advanced training and possibly becoming involved with Schutzhund work.

I have just watched the Leerburg DVD "The Power of Training Dogs with Markers" and liked it quite a bit, however I am still confused on how to use markers to train behaviors that are command based such as "Sit", "Down", "Come", "Stay", and "Heel". Can anyone offer some advice or suggestions on how to go about training these behaviors using markers? Thank you!

- Derek

Hi, Derek,

Have you loaded your marker?

I haven't watched any of the leerburg videos on marker training, but I enjoy using a clicker just because it helps a dog learn to think for themselves.

Instead of baiting or luring a dog into position, I wait for him to display a certain behavior and then click/reward. The dog thinks 'Hey! What was that for?' and then they stare at me for a while, waiting for another treat. Perhaps they sit down because they're tired of standing and staring, and click/reward. Repeat until they start offering the sit, and then I use a word I want the dog to use for the behavior.

Ever since learning this method I've taught all of my dogs this way. In the past I would force them into positions and then treat. I've found that my dogs today are a lot more eager to learn and are a lot FASTER to learn new things than my past dogs.

Yes, free-shaping is covered too in the videos.

Still, loading the marker is number one. Derek, do you understand charging or loading your marker, and have you done that? Maybe if you describe how you did it and how your dog now reacts to the sound of your marker, we can help you with either free-shaping or, very simply, using luring for a sit.


eta
Are you using a clicker or a verbal marker?

Edited by Connie Sutherland (07/28/2011 05:12 PM)
Edit reason: eta

Thanks for the replies!

@Connie - I have indeed been charging the mark. Ranger, my dog, gets very excited when we start training and he certainly understands that "Yes" means a treat is on the way. I use small pieces of hot dog for the food reward. I also use verbal commands (Yes/No/Good) as I like to idea of not having to have a clicker on hand for training. Since he already knows sit and down I have been using these commands.

@Samantha - How do you get your dog to perform the action you want? I would imagine that you can't just wait for the dog to do what you want without giving it some command so it knows what to do. This is what confuses me about the video. It (the Leerburg video) specifically mentions not use a command until the dog has the behavior down first. Perhaps I am a bit slow.

I guess what I would like to do is find an example (text or video) of how to train "Heal" and "Stay" using makers. I would eventually like to work on others such as "Fetch", but I want to get the basics first.

On a similar but separate note, can marker training be used for Schutzhund work? Thanks again.

I don't remember what is taught on the marker DVD... I need to go back and watch that again. I would get the food and tug DVD if you don't already have them, they are both very helpful and they "a 2nd & 3rd part" of the the markers DVD IMO!

One thing that was confusing to me (just watched the puppy 8-8 movie again) It shows Ed teaching a puppy to sit and down and he is saying the word sit and down instead of just luring. Than later he says teach the position first than add the word.

 Quote: elizabeth anderson

I don't remember what is taught on the marker DVD... I need to go back and watch that again. I would get the food and tug DVD if you don't already have them, they are both very helpful and they "a 2nd & 3rd part" of the the markers DVD IMO!

One thing that was confusing to me (just watched the puppy 8-8 movie again) It shows Ed teaching a puppy to sit and down and he is saying the word sit and down instead of just luring. Than later he says teach the position first than add the word.

THe marker videos are much more recent; I'd use them for marker training.

" I also use verbal commands (Yes/No/Good) ... "


I'm confused, because these aren't "commands." Do you mean you use yes as a verbal marker?

If so, what is "good" used for? You don't use two verbal markers, right? (I use a verbal marker, too, but only one. I use a mechanical one, too. But the verbal terminal marker is one special word -- not a bunch of words. "Nope" might be a negative marker, but why do you have "yes" and "good"? You want one sound to mean "Correct! Reward coming!")

I'm not trying to futz around and not answer you. I -- or many of us -- would be happy to go through a simple "sit" scenario using a lure to demo the nuts and bolts. But I'm confused about your marker and how you loaded it.

(Samantha is talking about free shaping, which involves capturing behaviors that the dog does on his own.)

All JMO! Give us more details; we can help!

Maybe the OP is using "Good" as an intermediate or bridge marker to build duration. I do something similar. Example: "Sit," dog sits, I wait a few seconds, say, "Goooood," wait a few seconds, then say, "Yes!" which is the marker and they get a treat and release.

I'm not sure as it's been a while since I've watched the Leerburg DVDs, but I have the marker training, training with food, training with tugs, heeling and retrieving DVDs, and I think at some point some of them have discussed the use of "Good" to build duration.

Derek, it would be helpful if you explained what you are using the individual words for. We need details, details...

"Maybe the OP is using "Good" as an intermediate or bridge marker to build duration."

Could be, but the O.P. sounded much earlier in the process than adding duration with an IB.

And of course, introducing duration is not done in the beginning stages of a command.

Yes. Details, details ....