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"Reward Marker Dog Training"
Note: This article was taken, in part, from a much longer piece written by Ed Frawley, owner of Leerburg.com. Click here to see the article in its entirety. We present this article because we heavily use Reward Marker Training (along with other methods) in our dog training philosophy here at Rapid Results Dog Training.

So What Exactly Is Marker Training?
In technical terms marker training is operant conditioning. Operant conditioning has been around for years. It is how Dolphins are trained at sea world.
Operant conditioning forms an association between a behavior and a consequence.
I can see new dog trainers reading this and shaking their heads thinking "Dahhhh isn't that pretty obvious and what all dog training is about?"
My answer to that is "YES" but let's go into a little more detail.
When a dog exhibits a behavior we like the consequence is a high value reward. In marker training that reward is either a high value food treat or a high value toy that the dog really loves. If a dog does not perform a behavior the consequence is "No Reward." This is called a negative reinforcer. When a dog gets a negative reinforcer it must then repeat the exercises if it wants to get the high value reward.
In old school dog training the consequence of a negative behavior was a correction.
No matter what anyone ever tells you dogs do things for themselves. Dogs don't do things to make you feel good. They do things to make themselves feel good. They do things because they are motivated towards feeling comfortable in addition to doing things that eliminate feeling discomfort. This is a pretty profound concept and one that pet owners often miss. Pet owners or new dog trainers are often lead to believe that dogs will eventually do things to make their owner feel good. The reality is that this is seldom if ever the case.
In technical terms marker training is operant conditioning. Operant conditioning has been around for years. It is how Dolphins are trained at sea world.
Operant conditioning forms an association between a behavior and a consequence.
I can see new dog trainers reading this and shaking their heads thinking "Dahhhh isn't that pretty obvious and what all dog training is about?"
My answer to that is "YES" but let's go into a little more detail.
When a dog exhibits a behavior we like the consequence is a high value reward. In marker training that reward is either a high value food treat or a high value toy that the dog really loves. If a dog does not perform a behavior the consequence is "No Reward." This is called a negative reinforcer. When a dog gets a negative reinforcer it must then repeat the exercises if it wants to get the high value reward.
In old school dog training the consequence of a negative behavior was a correction.
No matter what anyone ever tells you dogs do things for themselves. Dogs don't do things to make you feel good. They do things to make themselves feel good. They do things because they are motivated towards feeling comfortable in addition to doing things that eliminate feeling discomfort. This is a pretty profound concept and one that pet owners often miss. Pet owners or new dog trainers are often lead to believe that dogs will eventually do things to make their owner feel good. The reality is that this is seldom if ever the case.
Rapid Results Dog Training Serves the Following Communities In Cuyahoga County
Avon, Avon Lake, Bay Village, Beachwood, Bedford, Bedford Heights, Bentleyville, Berea, Bratenahl, Brecksville, Broadview Heights, Brook Park, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Chagrin Falls, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Heights, Euclid, Fairview Park, Garfield Heights, Gates Mills, Glenwillow,
Highland Heights, Hunting Valley, Independence, Lakewood, Linndale, Lyndhurst, Maple Heights, Mayfield Heights, Mayfield, Middleburg Heights, Moreland Hills, Newburgh Heights, North Olmsted, North Randall, North Royalton, Oakwood, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, Orange,
Parma, Parma Heights, Pepper Pike, Richmond Heights, Rocky River, Seven Hills, Shaker Heights, Solon, South Euclid, Strongsville, University Heights, Valley View, Walton Hills, Warrensville Heights, Westlake, and Woodmere.
Also serving Geauga County
Bainbridge, Burton, Chagrin Falls, Chardon, Chesterland, Newbury, and Novelty.
As well as Lake County
Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Grand River, Kirtland, Lakeline Village, Perry Township, Perry Village, Painesville, Painesville Township, Mentor, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Wickliffe, Willoughby, Willoughby Hills, and Willowick.
Avon, Avon Lake, Bay Village, Beachwood, Bedford, Bedford Heights, Bentleyville, Berea, Bratenahl, Brecksville, Broadview Heights, Brook Park, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Chagrin Falls, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Heights, Euclid, Fairview Park, Garfield Heights, Gates Mills, Glenwillow,
Highland Heights, Hunting Valley, Independence, Lakewood, Linndale, Lyndhurst, Maple Heights, Mayfield Heights, Mayfield, Middleburg Heights, Moreland Hills, Newburgh Heights, North Olmsted, North Randall, North Royalton, Oakwood, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, Orange,
Parma, Parma Heights, Pepper Pike, Richmond Heights, Rocky River, Seven Hills, Shaker Heights, Solon, South Euclid, Strongsville, University Heights, Valley View, Walton Hills, Warrensville Heights, Westlake, and Woodmere.
Also serving Geauga County
Bainbridge, Burton, Chagrin Falls, Chardon, Chesterland, Newbury, and Novelty.
As well as Lake County
Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Grand River, Kirtland, Lakeline Village, Perry Township, Perry Village, Painesville, Painesville Township, Mentor, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Wickliffe, Willoughby, Willoughby Hills, and Willowick.