Reward Markers:

"Yes" - Marks the correct behavior the dog preformed. It terminates the behavior and the dog is allowed out of position to get it's reward. Typically we use the ball or tug reward with the "Yes."

Clicker - The "click" is paired with a food reward. It marks the correct behavior precisley.

"No." A firm no, is given prior to any corrections given to the dog. Used when ever the dog does somethign we don't want it to do anymore.

Release: "Free" is a release word to let te dog know it's allowed to get up, but it does not signify that they are getting a reward. It's used in daily life and in informal settings moslty. If you ask the dog to sit, then before they are allowed to get up and to be consisient, we use the word "free" to let them know we know longer expect them to stay sitting.

Non-reward Marker: The non-reward maker "Nope" said in a normal tone of voice, lets the dog know that whay they just tried didn't work, and they can get out of position and then we can try again. You ask for a sit, and the dog downs. Mark the instant they don't sit with, "nope" and move around and tease the dog again and get them in drive in order to try again.

Reassurance Marker: "Good" lets the dog know that if they continue that behavior, they will get a reward marker soon. As the dog is sitting, "goood" then a moment later, click and treat, or "yes!" and they get to break and get the ball. This is used when ever you want the dog to keep doing what they are doing and to work on duration on "stays."

Continuneous Differential Reinforcement:We start out rewartdingeveytime the dog preforms what we ask. IE Everytime we ask sit, and the dog sits, we click and treat. Once the dog has a good understanding of what we are asking, we begin to shape the behavior and only reward closer and closer to what our final goal is. We want the dog to response instantly to our command, so we begin to only reward fast sits. If the dog sits, and it was too slow to meet our critera, we don't reward. The dogs quickly learn that by preforming the behvaior fast, they get their reward.

Varibale Reward Schedule: Once the dog is preforming the behaviors reliably, we want to make sure they preform them long enough and are working in drive. We keep them in drive, but not always rewarding at certain spots in the routine. We want the dog to be pushing us for the reward, and asking, "Hey look how perfect I'm heeling, give me the ball!" and then we reward them. Sometimes we reward at 10 steps, other times after the whole routine. You have to vary the rewaerds, and based on the dogs particlur issues, reward more or less at certain points. I'ts about balance the dogs drives with being correct and in drive and wanting to do the obediecne to earn the ball from us.