What are Markers in Dog Training?
How can we make communicating with our dogs more effectivly?
Efficient communication is important (if not vital) during training, but can also be beneficial throughout our day to day life with our dogs.
To our dogs, the words we say are just sounds. Until we give those sounds meaning, your dog is simply picking up your tone or how you are presenting yourself. Over time, your dog will start to associate your reactions with the tone and body posture you had right before you reacted.
This is why your dog looks guilty when you come home and they have made a mess. They remember how you reacted last time you acted that specific way and they are trying to appease you to keep you from getting upset with them.
So how can we make communication more simple and more effective for our dogs?
This is where markers come in handy! Simply put, markers are words or sounds that mark specific behaviors to help our dogs understand what we do and don’t want them to do.
A common marker you may see is a clicker. Clickers are a small, handheld device that make a clicking noise when pressed and are most commonly used to mark a desired behavior. But why are clickers so commonly used as a marker?
Unlike our voices, a clicker is going to sound the exact same every time you click it. Same duration, pitch, and sound every single time. (I will go over why this can be important later). But they can be difficult to use for some people since it adds another object that you need to hold.
Think about when you are training your dog. You are probably holding a leash and handing out treats. For some people, adding a clicker to the mix while needing to have good timing can be too much.
Another marker type, and the most common one you will see, are verbal markers. Verbal markers are single words that are used to mark when a dog has done something right or wrong. They are used to mark a specific behavior so that the dog can associate the behavior with a predictable outcome.
Here at BBK9, we will most often use verbal markers.
What words do we use and how do we teach them?
Incorrect Marker
Incorrect markers are words that let the dog know they have done something wrong, and to try again. Some people will pair an incorrect marker with a correction. I use “No” or “AhAh” as incorrect markers.
I personally use two different words since they have two different meanings intensity wise. “AhAh” is for something small. I asked the dog to sit down and they lay down instead? No big deal, I will say “AhAh” and get them to try again. But if I have a dog displaying a more risky or dangerous behavior such as lunging at someone, I will use a stern “No” with a leash pop. I want “No” to have a more impactful meaning to the dog. I want to make it clear that I do not want to see that type of behavior again. But during normal training, I don’t want to deter a dog from testing out new behaviors. I don’t want them to be nervous or scared of making a small mistake. It is perfectly fine to only use one word for an incorrect marker instead of two if it is easier for you.
Finish Marker
Finish markers are words that mean, that was absolutely correct, come get your reward. I use “Yes” for this is an upbeat, excited voice. This marker is used to release the dog from whatever position they are currently in.
Duration Marker
Duration markers are used to let the dog know they are correct while asking them to remain in the position they are in. I use “good” for this. This marker is helpful when trying to teach a dog to hold a position for a longer period of time. This marker can be paired with your finish marker to release them and let them know that everything they did was correct.
Release Marker
Release markers are used as a way to release the dog from a position, or to let them cross a threshold without expecting a reward. The release itself is usually the reward. I commonly use “Ok” for this. For example, if I have a dog on place, in a kennel, or waiting at the door I will say “ok” to let them know that they are free to exit.
How do I teach this?
If you are consistent in using your marker words, your dog will start to pick these up over time as you use them in training. But to help them pick it up faster, you can actually take time to create an association.
If you are using a clicker, put your dog on a leash and bring them somewhere that they can focus on you. You can use treats or their kibble for this. I often recommend doing this for breakfast or dinner instead of using a bowl every now and then. It is beneficial to feed your dog by hand!
Once you get yourself and your pup situated, take your clicker in one hand and your treats in the other (you can always put your leash under your foot or tie it to something if needed). Click your clicker and give your dog a treat right after. At this time, your dog doesn’t have to be performing any specific behaviors, just make sure they're not doing something you don’t want them to. Repeat this process over and over. Click, treat. Click, treat. Make sure you are delivering the treat after the marker. If you treat before or during the click, your dog will not associate the click with a reward.
It will take some time, but after hundreds of repetitions your dog will start to associate the click with a reward. (Think B.F. Skinner and his dogs.) This will take a couple of sessions and time, so don’t feel the need to rush it.
For verbal markers, you are going to do something similar, you just have more markers to give meaning to. For me, I most commonly work on these as I am actively training a dog. I do not specifically set time aside to build on my marker words. I feel as though this helps create a clearer picture for the dog.
For example, when I am training sit, I will ask for or lure the dog into a sit. Once the dog sits, I will say “good” then give them a treat. I will continue to repeat that while the dog is sitting. Be sure to be reasonable about the duration you are asking for. In the beginning, it is not uncommon for dogs to be unable to hold positions for a long amount of time.
Once I am ready for the dog to move from their position, I will say “Yes” in an excited voice and back away from the dog while luring them with a treat. Over time, this will teach the dog that “Yes” equals movement while “Good” means staying still.
As you progress further in your training, you can start using varied rewards. This simply means that your dog is not getting a treat every time you say “good” or “yes”. They may get a treat every other time you use your marker, every three times, or how every often you choose. This helps give your dog the mindset of “I know a reward is coming, I just don’t know when”. This will help you build a dog who is not reliant on seeing a reward to be obedient. I will go over this in more detail in another blog!
For my release marker, I will do something similar to teaching my finish marker. If I have a dog in their kennel, I will wait for them to be calm before allowing them to leave the kennel. Once they are calm, I will say “Ok” and allow them to exit the kennel. I often pair a hand signal with “Ok” since it is a word we commonly use on a day to day basis. If you have a dog that will not move after you say “ok” you can always encourage them to move by making kissy noises, patting your thigh, or by tossing a treat away from them.
For my incorrect markers, it will depend on which word you are using. I will always pair “No” with a leash pop. Leash pops do not have to be hard, they just need to be enough to get your dog's attention back onto you. With “AhAh'' I will most commonly just remove whatever reward I was currently using and back away from the dog. By backing away, I am encouraging the dog to move out of whatever position they were in so that I can ask them again.
Just as you would with a clicker, make sure you are using the marker word before treating or correcting the dog to create the association between the word and its meaning.
To use marker words effectively, you should:
Choose a marker word that is easy for you to say (and remember) and that your dog can easily hear.
Use the marker word consistently.
Mark the desired behavior immediately after it happens.
Once your dog has learned to associate the marker word with a predictable outcome, you can use it to train them to do a variety of behaviors.
Something important to keep in mind is to keep the way you say the marker word as similar as possible every time you say it. It is easy for our voices to sound a little different every time we say it. Maybe we were a little excited and we said “good” faster and high pitched. If you’re not in a great mood your tone may be slower and at a lower tone than usual.
But why is that important?
Remember that our dogs are not hearing a word, they are hearing a sound. Similar to how cat and hat sound similar to us, but they mean two totally different things. “No” in a slow and calm tone is going to sound different than “No” in a fast and excited tone. Over time our dogs may start to generalize the sound in different tones, but in the beginning it is going to need to sound similar for them to piece the puzzle together.
Below I will link a video I posted on TikTok awhile ago about markers. This may be helpful for you if you learn better by listening rather than reading.
Want me to do a blog on a specific topic? Leave me a comment below!
