Introduce and “charge up” your marker word so your dog understands exactly what it means
Establish your reward system and find out what your dog finds truly motivating
Begin building your dog’s focus and engagement with you at home, free from distractions
Operant Conditioning & Marker Training
Dogs learn by association. When a behaviour is followed immediately by something good, they’re more likely to repeat it. The problem is that rewards like treats take a second or two to deliver — and a second is a long time in dog-brain terms! That’s where the marker word comes in.
A marker word (commonly “YIP!”) acts as a precise bridge between the exact moment your dog does the right thing and the reward that follows. Over time, your dog learns that the marker word means “that thing you just did — that’s what earned the treat.” This makes your training incredibly accurate and speeds up learning significantly.
Why Engagement Comes First
Before a dog can learn anything, they need to be switched on and tuned in to you. A dog that isn’t paying attention isn’t in a position to learn, no matter how good your technique is. By building engagement first — in the calm, low-distraction environment of your home — we’re essentially teaching your dog that you are the most interesting thing in the room. Everything else in the programme flows from that.
This exercise teaches your dog that your marker word (“YIP!”) always, always means a treat is coming. We call this “charging” the marker. At this stage, your dog doesn’t need to do anything to earn the reward — we’re purely building the association.
- Prepare lots of small, yummy treats — the smellier the better! Get your dog settled near you, no need to ask them to sit or stay.
- Say your marker word clearly and happily: “YIP!” — just once, not repeated.
- Immediately deliver a treat. The gap between the word and the treat should be no more than 1–2 seconds.
- Wait a few seconds, then repeat. Do this 10–15 times per session.
- After a few sessions, watch your dog’s reaction when you say the word — they should visibly perk up or look to you for the treat. That means it’s working!
Not all rewards are equal — and what motivates your dog is unique to them. This exercise helps you discover your dog’s reward hierarchy so you can use the right reward at the right moment throughout the programme.
- Gather 4–5 different types of treats: e.g. their regular kibble, a soft training treat, a small piece of cheese, a bit of chicken or sausage.
- In a calm space, offer two options at a time in your closed fists and let your dog sniff and choose. Note which they go for first.
- Also test a toy or short play session against a food reward — some dogs are more toy-motivated than you might expect!
- By the end you should have a rough sense of what your dog finds most exciting — save the highest value reward for the hardest tasks and biggest breakthroughs.
Once your marker word is charged, we can use it to begin building one of the most important habits in the programme: your dog voluntarily checking in with you. Start this in your home once you’ve done a couple of charging sessions.
- Move around your home naturally. Don’t stare at your dog or prompt them — just go about your business with treats in your pocket.
- The moment your dog looks at you or moves towards you of their own accord, say “YIP!” immediately and deliver a treat.
- If they don’t check in after a minute or two, say their name once in a bright, upbeat tone — the moment they look at you: “YIP!” and treat.
- Repeat throughout the day in short bursts — you’re building the habit of your dog naturally “finding” you and being rewarded for it.