hi,
I am interested in creating a list of commands that I want to work on with my dog. He is about three and half years old and has no history with marker training. Actually, we have very limited experience together training. About a year and a half ago he became part of my family. His obedience is very good. However, I have no idea which training methods were used. He is a German Shepherd. He knows the following commands:
1. Sit
2. Stay
3. Come
4. Down
5. Heel (although he forges)

I have several questions:
1. How often do I need to train in the beginning in order to get my dog familiarized with marker training? (Several times daily/once daily/several times a week).

2. The following is a list of commands I would like to train:

• refine the heel command
  
• refine the stay command
  
• refine the come command
  
• stand
  
• place
  
• send away
  
• retrieved and place on my lap
  
• guard an object
  
• bark on command
  
• hold object in mouth
  
• drop object in mouth
  
• watch me (focus on me)
  
  are there any commands that you would add to this list?
  in which order would you train these commands?
  
  I know that this is a long list, and I know this will take a long time to achieve. I am not in a 100 m dash, I have the patience necessary.
  
  thank you for all your help,
  Eitan Waks
  
  BTW, I purchased several DVDs and find them very useful. However, because I am disabled (wheelchair with limited use of my hands) I cannot play tug and must adjustment techniques in the DVDs to suit my abilities.

Which DVDs do you have? Do you have Power of Markers and Power of Food?

Watch Me and Place would probably be my first two.

I'd start with a short list and let it grow organically as we go along.

Have you loaded your marker?

I would load my marker. Then I'd probably make Watch Me my first marker command. I'd then consider refreshing each of the commands he has been taught, using the marker method, because I'd want marker training to be solidly in place (understood by him, familiar to me) so I could use it to proof the commands he already has, along with teaching one new one at a time. That is, I teach one command at a time, but I intersperse work on that command with proofing his other commands.

A little written log is very useful for all of this, BTW. For example, in gradual proofing for venue and distraction (and also introducing duration), a record of what we have done and where is what I look at first when planning the next session(s).


IMO, frequent but very short (and always upbeat) sessions are miles ahead of long ones. I like both of us to want more when we quit, and neither of us to have a chance to become either bored or frustrated. (I also start and end every session with something I know will be successful, and I make sure I end with a M/R for a good command, even if I have to go back to something he has known for ages.)

My goal: The dog's favorite part of his day is when I say "Ready?" (Well, maybe his second favorite, after meals. )

A holiday weekend will be slow on the board, but you'll get more and better suggestions.