A marker is a specific sound (chosen by you) that is used to teach your dog when he did something right. It is an important tool to speed up the training process. Your dog will learn that when he hears this sound there is a reward coming, which communicates to continue the behavior. Your dog will start to become happy upon hearing this sound and a happy dog is a trainable dog.
Common Types of Marker Sounds
Word-Based Markers: "Yes", "click", "yay", or any other word you can use with consistency. When using a word as your mark, it should be short and sharp and come naturally when you are excited. It should not be a word you use casually in other conversations or sound like other cues.
Using a Clicker as a Marker: A small plastic noise maker that makes a sharp and consistent sound. A clicker is effective because it is very specific. You must "load" a clicker by directly associating it with words.
How to “Charge” Your Marker
- Say the word or click.
- Reward your dog immediately.
- Repeat 5–10 times.
- If your dog gets excited when hearing the word or "click" then you have successfully charged your marker.
Tips to Remember While Charging the Marker
- If your dog is not responding to your marker, do not get discouraged. Repeat the process and use a treat that your dog will like more.
- The idea is for your dog to associate the marker with the reward. Your dog must fully understand what the marker means (and be visibly happy when he hears it) before you use it during training sessions.
- At this point, it does not matter if your dog is performing a specific behavior. You just want him to learn that it means a reward is coming.
- If you are consistent, the sound will be equivalent to a reward.
When and How to Use a Marker Effectively
- As soon as your dog is performing the behavior (not before and not after), followed by a treat.
- Timing is very important; if you are late when marking, you will not be targeting the desired behavior. Your dog will only associate behavior that he is actively performing when he hears the mark.
Teaching a New Behavior or Reinforcing an Old One
The difference between "mark" and "praise": Your "mark" has a specific meaning. "Yes, that's what I wanted you to do". Praise (general happy sounds and words) is not specific and is used as a reward, not a mark.
To learn more about effective dog training techniques, visit our Dog Obedience Training page.