I had announced the redone e-book I finished last week but forgot to add the podcast to this thread on the forum.

A few years ago I had done an old podcast on 17 minute markers. It was OK but this time its far more detailed.



http://www.leerburg.com/podcasts/markertrainingdogs.mp3

I just listened to the podcast and, as I want to start marker training I have a really basic question: When first starting out and "loading" the YES (I don't want to use clickers) should I stick with one particular behavior to Yes...like making eye contact? Or, if I'm getting this, can it be eye contact, turning towards me or actually several behaviors that all get the YES and then the high value treat? IOW, since I'm just getting the YES to mean something the behavior can be just about anything?

I use both clickers and "Yes" as markers. Clickers I find can over arouse excitable dogs so in this instance I use "Yes" just a ramble :-)

My way of making the connection of "Yes" as a marker for the dog is not to ask for any behaviour from the dog simply set up in a quiet location, no distraction. Ten treats behind my back and then I use a tone that the dog respond too so I guess a hissy Yesss sound then feed a treat. My hands are behind my back so that the dog is not preoccupied with seeing the food coming until after the sound is heard.

"Yes" (nano second pause) feed treat.

I will do three sessions as above, which can be half hour apart or when time allows but in one day.

Once the marker connection is established I can then choose a behaviour I want to shape/reinforce. So lets go for eye contact. I'll wait till my pup/dog looks at me and the moment his eyes meet one I say "Yes" then treat. I may toss the treat so that the dog has to look away to collect his treat, the chances are he'll now choose to look back and make eye contact and once again I'll say "Yes" and reward.

The Marker (Yes/Clicker) tells the dog the 'action he is doing' is what earned the reward.

I only train one behaviour per session. Marking several things during a training session will confuse the dog.

That's my understanding of Markers. Hope it helps.

I load the marker for no behavior at all, like Jacquie.

Yes feed yes feed yes feed yes feed, over a session or two or three, until the dog looks for the reward when he hears the marker.

The connection has been made, and now training starts. :-)

What Connie said!