Our goal is to train you to train your dog using the most current and humane methods available. To be successful, training must be incorporated into everyday life, and you must be consistent.
We encourage developing a working relationship with your dog so they can be a partner in the training process. The first thing you must do is to determine what your dog finds rewarding. This does not just mean treats. It can be car rides, toys, water, walk, etc. In class we will typically use food or toys. Before beginning training, it is important to review the following terms:
Marker Word: When a dog performs the action you are trying to train, it is important to mark that exact moment in time. Some people use a clicker while others prefer a marker word such as “Yes”. For our purposes, we will use “Yes” as it tends to be easier for new handlers. If you would like to use a clicker please let us know and we will show you the basics. If you use this word consistently during training, when the dog hears the word ‘Yes’ he will know a treat is on the way. It helps you ‘bridge’ the time between the behavior you want to reward and the actual reward. Make sure if you use the marker word that a reward always follows.
Example: You ask your dog to sit, at the moment his butt hits the floor you say “Yes” and follow it with verbal praise (Good Girl!) or treats/toy. Before we start using a Marker Word, we need to ‘Charge’ it. Do this by having 10 small treats ready. Say ‘Yes’ and give your dog a treat. Do not ask them to do anything for it, we are just forming the association in their mind that ‘Yes’ means a treat is coming.
No Reward /Negative Marker: This is basically a word that means ‘I am not going to give you anything for that behavior, I am looking for something else’. If your dog makes an error, you must mark that behavior as being incorrect. You could use ‘Eh’, ‘Uh, Uh’, ‘Sorry’, ‘Try Again’, etc. Choose whatever comes naturally. Try not to use ‘No’ as it tends to be a very overused word at home and can lose meaning.
The No Reward marker should be delivered in a neutral tone as it is not a correction. If it is used correctly, your dog should not shut down but instead offer you a different behavior.
Release Word: Think of the behaviors you teach your dog as having on/off switches. By giving a command like “Stay” you switch a command on. In a perfect world, your dog should stay until you give a release word such as ‘Okay” and turn the behavior off.
Jackpotting: If your dog does something particularly great, jack potting is an excellent way to reinforce the behavior. It involves giving the dog a quick succession of treats one after the other. Don’t hand them all at once to the dog hand each treat individually with lots of praise. This essentially extends the amount of time you are praising your dog.
