Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Ana Kozlowsky

How about we each post a little MT vid, to illustrate what we are talikng about?

Have you taped yourself before? I've had someone else do me a few times, but haven't tried to tape myself.

I guess you set the camera up on a chair or something outside, and then practice being within its range .... maybe you tape a spot on the ground?

Or you could use one of those tripod things......

You set your camera up, see what's in the frame, then try to stay in the frame.

Masking tape on the floor or landmarks outside help.

Get farther away from the camera to increase the coverage.

 Quote: steve strom

Ouch Lynne. Show my vulnerable side and look what happens,,,,,

You have one of those?

OK John. Since it's very apparent that you really do want to do marker training, here's the first few steps:
1) start when she's hungry
2) use small pieces of soft food, like chicken breast
3) put your treats on the counter in your kitchen and stand in front of your pup
4) say 'Good!', pick a treat up and give it to her.(no expectation of any behavior, you are just making the association between the word and the reward) You must separate the word 'good' from the motion of giving her the treat by a second or two; this is very important. Repeat 10 times.
5) on the 11th time, say 'Good!' when she's not looking. If she swivels her head around looking for the treat, you know that your marker is loaded. Otherwise, go back to step 4.

After you ahve loaded your marker, you can begin to train. Quit bribing that pup.

 Quote: Sheila Buckley

Your'e still posting on this thread so I'm not 100% convinced you really don't want to do more with the MT. If you can find an accomplished marker trainer and take a private lesson, I think you'll know for sure if its something you want to pursue.

This is a good suggestion. I'm thinking pretty much any marker trainer will get across the basics in one short lesson, and John has enough training experience to not need more than the basics of how the timing works.

Then, proofing is part of all training.

And such things as introducing duration and weaning are easily learned.

http://leerburg.com/flix/videodesc.php?id=185

Lynne has nicely outlined loading or charging the marker.

1) start when she's hungry
2) use small pieces of soft food, like chicken breast
3) put your treats on the counter in your kitchen and stand in front of your pup
4) say 'Good!', pick a treat up and give it to her.(no expectation of any behavior, you are just making the association between the word and the reward) You must separate the word 'good' from the motion of giving her the treat by a second or two; this is very important. Repeat 10 times.
5) on the 11th time, say 'Good!' when she's not looking. If she swivels her head around looking for the treat, you know that your marker is loaded. Otherwise, go back to step 4.

 Quote: Ana Kozlowsky

You set your camera up, see what's in the frame, then try to stay in the frame.

Masking tape on the floor or landmarks outside help.

Get farther away from the camera to increase the coverage.

Well, I will stop talking about this and getting the thread off topic, but thanks! I've never tried it, and I've been wanting/meaning to.

Go Connie! Show them disbelievers!

lynne that makes sense, question ,if she turns her head then i say good, will that teach her to look away for a treat?

Yep, if you do it enough times.

Loading the mark is to teach the dog that the marker WORD had meaning. Meaning that they will receive a treat when they hear that word. THEN you start to work on a position that you want by luring or in your dog's case you can just ask for what she already knows & mark it & reward it, if you want to do it that way.

What you want the dog to have is a snapshot (like a photograph/picture) in their mind the EXACT second that you say the marker word. They learn is that second/picture, that position is what you want & gets the marker & then is followed up by the treat.

By marking it with the word, you have made the dog understand that exact pic is what you want them to do & that is what is being rewarded. You then follow it up by the treat. This way the actual DELIVERY of the treat doesn't have to be perfect,just the timing of the marker word. So if you fumble a bit with getting the treat to them,,,there is no harm done by that delay.

If you look at it in your mind like you were taking a picture of what the dog is doing the second you mark it, that is what you want. If you mark the wrong second & keep doing that..that is the behavior the dog will learn.

It's easier to see then to try to describe. Someone will post a vid. I don't have a vid camera.

It's REALLY not as hard as you are makeing out to be.

I would not choose such an opposite-of-desired action when loading, although it's probably irrelevant unless I repeat it.

I know it's no-expectation marking and rewarding, but I think I'd avoid that.

I'm interested to hear if others think it matters.