- Sep 10, 2025
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Disclaimer:
This will be boring for experienced dog people but if you're new to dog training you'll hopefully find this helpful.
I'll leave out the dog-nerd scientific mumbojumbo and explain this in layman terms. Too often dog people feel the need to sound smart and they just end up confusing people. This will be a practical guide. Besides, I'm neither smart nor scientific. LOL.
I'm sure there's going to be some technical stuff missing from the explanations or disagreements on examples that will make dog trainers heads explode but this guide is still actionable none the less.
What are Markers:
Markers are how we let a dog know that they've done something we like or don't like. If you've ever seen someone use a clicker to train a dog then you've seen marker training.
The Benefits of Markers:
The best analogy I've heard is to think about the marker as a camera, it takes a snapshot of a moment in time. But instead of a camera, we're using a sound. The marker, whether a clicker or a word conveys information to the dog instantly. We can communicate with the dog immediately without being right on top them or even in physical contact. The dog does something desirable from 50' away, you say YES! and the dog flies for his reward. The dog knows exactly why he was rewarded even though he had to turn and come to you for the payment.
The concept is extremely simple but it's implementation relies on good timing and consistency. More on this in a bit.
Types of Markers:
There are two types of primary markers. Reward markers and punishment markers. Those two types of markers can further be broken down into two sub types.
Reward Markers:
- Terminal (Good job, you're done doing what you're doing, come get paid.)
- Duration (Good job, keep doing what you're doing, here's your payment.)
Punishment Markers:
- Corrective (You're wrong, fix yourself.)
- Punitive (You've done something unacceptable and now you're in trouble and you can't get out of it)
*Common Words Used For Markers:
- Yes! (Terminal Reward with handler)
- Good! (Duration Reward)
- Nope. (Corrective)
- NO. (Punitive)
*Any word or sound can be used. These are just common terms. The main point is, you're consistent with delivery and follow up.
In my opinion, these are the foundational markers that any dog owner should master, even if they don't want to be dog trainers. Developing a language that your dog understands will make your life and your dogs life far easier and more enjoyable.
How To Develop Your Markers:
First, let's talk about the mechanics of your marker. Dogs are non-verbal and communicate by body language primarily. Our words are meaningless sounds unless the dog can predict what we're going to do after we make those sounds come out of our mouths. Knowing this, we can make our markers meaningful and impactful. There must be a momentary (a second or two) break between our marker and the reward. If you deliver the reward at the same time as delivering your marker, the verbal marker will just get tuned out and the dog will never register it.
Creating Your Reward Marker:
Get some kibble or your dogs favorite treats and fill your pockets up. Stand perfectly still and say YES! (get in the habit of making your reward sound different then your regular everyday speech) After you say YES! then reach into your pocket and deliver the reward. Do this over and over and over again. If your tone and timing are consistent, very quickly your dogs head will snap into attention when hearing the marker BEFORE the reward is delivered. You now have a conditioned reward marker.
Creating Your Punishment Marker:
This one is a little trickier as it must be done via "on the job." Meaning, there's no fair way to pre-condition this marker. My advice is, whenever punishing your dog be consistent. Say NO! and then follow up with your punishment event. Whether it's a neck scruff on a puppy or a leash pop on your adult dog - the mechanics and principals are identical to your reward marker: Marker, space, delivery, consistency.
The reason why so many people fail with verbal punishers is because they're not consistent in the teaching phase. When done properly most behavior can be stopped in its tracks with just the punishment marker.
Some Words On Mechanics:
We commonly make mistakes when creating our markers. The biggest mistake is refered to as overshadowing. A good example is saying Yes! and delivering the reward simultaneously. Another common mistake would be reaching for the reward before saying the marker. You want to give the marker AND THEN deliver the reward. The mistake that causes the most problems is not following up. Never use a marker without delivering the reward or consequence. I hope this makes sense.
More Explanations:
A terminal reward marker rewards the dog and signals that they're free to stop the behavior that triggered the reward. This means they are not longer in obedience. A good example is, you tell a dog to sit and he sits. You say YES! and the dog gets up to get his reward.
A duration marker rewards the dog for doing something but they must continue doing it even after getting paid. A good example is, you're teaching your dog to down. The dog downs, you say GOOD! and you take the reward to the dog as he maintains the down.
Your punishment marker must be delivered outside of desirable behavior to avoid confusion. A good example: your young dog gets into the trashcan and you say NO! the dog stops what he's doing and lies down. It's imperative that you remove the dog from the down and follow up with the punishment event. This does two things 1) keeps the marker powerful and predictable 2) Let's the dog know that he can't get out of trouble by offering another behavior.
A corrective marker can be used as help during training or a soft warning before a dog does something stupid. Some examples: you're teaching the dog a heel and he starts to drift off to the side you say NOPE and use leash pressure to get the dog back into place. Or, your puppy starts to show interest in your slippers. You say NOPE and move him away from the chew temptation.
In Closing:
This is really just a primer. But it is actionable. The concepts here in regards to conditioning, delivery, and timing are transferable skills into other areas of dog training. Including obedience commands, signals or queues and so on.
Its really not as complicated as it sounds. Pick out your marker words. Stick with them. Deliver them with a consistent tone, be sure to put a space between the marker and the action, and always follow through.
If you're really interested in this sort of thing I highly recommend checking out an online course by Michael Ellis called Dog Training Decoded. It's available on a platform called SitStayLearn.
I hope this helps anyone who finds it, or at the least gets the wheels turning.
This will be boring for experienced dog people but if you're new to dog training you'll hopefully find this helpful.
I'll leave out the dog-nerd scientific mumbojumbo and explain this in layman terms. Too often dog people feel the need to sound smart and they just end up confusing people. This will be a practical guide. Besides, I'm neither smart nor scientific. LOL.
I'm sure there's going to be some technical stuff missing from the explanations or disagreements on examples that will make dog trainers heads explode but this guide is still actionable none the less.
What are Markers:
Markers are how we let a dog know that they've done something we like or don't like. If you've ever seen someone use a clicker to train a dog then you've seen marker training.
The Benefits of Markers:
The best analogy I've heard is to think about the marker as a camera, it takes a snapshot of a moment in time. But instead of a camera, we're using a sound. The marker, whether a clicker or a word conveys information to the dog instantly. We can communicate with the dog immediately without being right on top them or even in physical contact. The dog does something desirable from 50' away, you say YES! and the dog flies for his reward. The dog knows exactly why he was rewarded even though he had to turn and come to you for the payment.
The concept is extremely simple but it's implementation relies on good timing and consistency. More on this in a bit.
Types of Markers:
There are two types of primary markers. Reward markers and punishment markers. Those two types of markers can further be broken down into two sub types.
Reward Markers:
- Terminal (Good job, you're done doing what you're doing, come get paid.)
- Duration (Good job, keep doing what you're doing, here's your payment.)
Punishment Markers:
- Corrective (You're wrong, fix yourself.)
- Punitive (You've done something unacceptable and now you're in trouble and you can't get out of it)
*Common Words Used For Markers:
- Yes! (Terminal Reward with handler)
- Good! (Duration Reward)
- Nope. (Corrective)
- NO. (Punitive)
*Any word or sound can be used. These are just common terms. The main point is, you're consistent with delivery and follow up.
In my opinion, these are the foundational markers that any dog owner should master, even if they don't want to be dog trainers. Developing a language that your dog understands will make your life and your dogs life far easier and more enjoyable.
How To Develop Your Markers:
First, let's talk about the mechanics of your marker. Dogs are non-verbal and communicate by body language primarily. Our words are meaningless sounds unless the dog can predict what we're going to do after we make those sounds come out of our mouths. Knowing this, we can make our markers meaningful and impactful. There must be a momentary (a second or two) break between our marker and the reward. If you deliver the reward at the same time as delivering your marker, the verbal marker will just get tuned out and the dog will never register it.
Creating Your Reward Marker:
Get some kibble or your dogs favorite treats and fill your pockets up. Stand perfectly still and say YES! (get in the habit of making your reward sound different then your regular everyday speech) After you say YES! then reach into your pocket and deliver the reward. Do this over and over and over again. If your tone and timing are consistent, very quickly your dogs head will snap into attention when hearing the marker BEFORE the reward is delivered. You now have a conditioned reward marker.
Creating Your Punishment Marker:
This one is a little trickier as it must be done via "on the job." Meaning, there's no fair way to pre-condition this marker. My advice is, whenever punishing your dog be consistent. Say NO! and then follow up with your punishment event. Whether it's a neck scruff on a puppy or a leash pop on your adult dog - the mechanics and principals are identical to your reward marker: Marker, space, delivery, consistency.
The reason why so many people fail with verbal punishers is because they're not consistent in the teaching phase. When done properly most behavior can be stopped in its tracks with just the punishment marker.
Some Words On Mechanics:
We commonly make mistakes when creating our markers. The biggest mistake is refered to as overshadowing. A good example is saying Yes! and delivering the reward simultaneously. Another common mistake would be reaching for the reward before saying the marker. You want to give the marker AND THEN deliver the reward. The mistake that causes the most problems is not following up. Never use a marker without delivering the reward or consequence. I hope this makes sense.
More Explanations:
A terminal reward marker rewards the dog and signals that they're free to stop the behavior that triggered the reward. This means they are not longer in obedience. A good example is, you tell a dog to sit and he sits. You say YES! and the dog gets up to get his reward.
A duration marker rewards the dog for doing something but they must continue doing it even after getting paid. A good example is, you're teaching your dog to down. The dog downs, you say GOOD! and you take the reward to the dog as he maintains the down.
Your punishment marker must be delivered outside of desirable behavior to avoid confusion. A good example: your young dog gets into the trashcan and you say NO! the dog stops what he's doing and lies down. It's imperative that you remove the dog from the down and follow up with the punishment event. This does two things 1) keeps the marker powerful and predictable 2) Let's the dog know that he can't get out of trouble by offering another behavior.
A corrective marker can be used as help during training or a soft warning before a dog does something stupid. Some examples: you're teaching the dog a heel and he starts to drift off to the side you say NOPE and use leash pressure to get the dog back into place. Or, your puppy starts to show interest in your slippers. You say NOPE and move him away from the chew temptation.
In Closing:
This is really just a primer. But it is actionable. The concepts here in regards to conditioning, delivery, and timing are transferable skills into other areas of dog training. Including obedience commands, signals or queues and so on.
Its really not as complicated as it sounds. Pick out your marker words. Stick with them. Deliver them with a consistent tone, be sure to put a space between the marker and the action, and always follow through.
If you're really interested in this sort of thing I highly recommend checking out an online course by Michael Ellis called Dog Training Decoded. It's available on a platform called SitStayLearn.
I hope this helps anyone who finds it, or at the least gets the wheels turning.
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