We use positive reinforcement – adding good stuff – to help our dogs understand what behaviors are worth doing. When we are teaching our dogs new or complex skills, it is crucial that they know exactly what they’re doing that is earning the cookie. There can be several seconds between when my dog does something great and when I’m able to get a treat in their mouth, and dogs don’t make connections between behaviors and rewards after just a few seconds. To bridge this gap in time and accurately communicate to our dogs which behaviors have earned the rewards, we use a reward marker.
A reward marker is any signal – sound, hand sign, flashing light, etc – that means good stuff is coming.The most common reward markers are clickers or verbal markers, and the most common good stuff is food. When we play the YES! Game, we will be teaching our dogs that the word “Yes!” means that food is coming.
How to Play
You’ll need your dog and 10-15 high value treats. Play this game in a quiet area without distractions.
- Place the treats in your treat pouch or in a dish or small pile on a nearby table out of reach from your dog. If you want to hold your treats, put your hands behind your back.
- Feed your dog 3 free treats, one at a time.
- After your dog eats their last free treat, say “Yes!” then grab a treat and deliver it to your dog. Repeat 8-10 times.
Your dog knows their marker when you say “Yes!” and their head whips around to look at you, expecting a treat!
Marker Rules
There are some important rules when using a reward marker with your dog!
- If you mark, you must reward. Think of your marker like a contract. If you say “Yes!” you just promised your dog a treat, and you have to follow through. The moment you say “Yes!” is the moment the learning happens – your dog just associated that event with a treat. If you skimp out and don’t reward, you’re just hurting your chances that the marker will be effective next time. It’s better to accidentally mark the wrong thing and reward anyway than it is to accidentally mark and not reward.
- Mark the instant your dog does what you want. If you’re teaching your dog to sit, you want to mark the same moment their butt hits the ground!
- Keep it consistent. Once you choose a marker word, stick to it. “Yes” “Yeah!!” “Yay!” “Yeeesssssss” and “YES!” are all different words. Try to say your marker with a similar sound each time. Remember – dogs don’t speak English, and “Yes” and “YEEAAHHH!” are not the same sound!
- If you mark, you must reward! It’s on the list twice for a reason – it’s that important! Your marker is an extremely valuable communication tool, so try to keep it as strong as possible. The best markers elicit an enthusiastic whiplash head turn and get dogs running to their owners for food! A very well-trained marker word can stop a dog chasing a rabbit in it’s tracks and running back to it’s owner before it even knows what happened.
Different Markers for Different Rewards
Beyond the simple contract of “Yes!” ⇨ [Food], there are several other highly useful markers that are easy to teach. Each one has a different purpose, and you may find it more effective to use one over another in various situations.
- “SNACK!” ⇨ Toss one cookie for your dog to chase. Ideally, your dog reorients to you after eating the cookie.
- Useful in many pattern games! This is part of the Eyes On Me! Ping Pong game.
- “SCATTER!” ⇨ A handful of treats scattered on the ground for your dog to sniff out.
- “FIND IT!” ⇨ A single treat in a hard-to-see area. Can be tossed there, or could be one your dog missed. This tells your dog they need to use their nose rather than their eyes to find their treat.
Alternatives to Verbal Markers
If you’re looking for something beyond a magic word, there are endless alternatives to a verbal marker! For dogs who are deaf or hard of hearing, a visual or tactile marker may be more helpful. You can condition a vibrate collar as a marker, or use a thumbs-up hand sign.
If you’re just looking for a little more precision or you’re more of a tactile person yourself, clickers can be a fantastic alternative to a verbal marker! Clickers are small plastic buttons that make a *click* sound when pressed. The benefit of a clicker is that it makes the same sound every single time, which can help when you’re trying to condition an extra strong marker. Clickers are also great for teaching complex or precise behaviors where timing is important, because the noise a clicker makes is much more concise and brief than a word.
