Free Tips for Puppy Marker Word Training

For this Omaha puppy kindergarten class update, Great Bernese puppy Rocky gets some puppy marker word training.

A marker word is a great way to let your puppy know you like what they are doing. If they sit down, come to you, lay down or go to their dog bed, you should say your marker word when they complete the action and give them a treat or pet. This tells the puppy “good job, thanks for sitting down, coming, laying down, etc.” Marker words eliminate confusion about what you’re asking and will accelerate your puppy’s training.

Giving your pup some marker word training early on will help anytime you are training them to do a new trick or cue such as, potty training, basic obedience, kennel training, etc. This is why we teach all of our puppy class parents how to use a marker word.

How to Start Using a Marker Word

There are several options for marker words. In the free puppy training video below, you’ll hear some common examples such as “yes” or “thanks.” Once you’ve established a marker word you can use it when training any trick or command cue, like come, sit, lay down, etc.

Puppy marker word training is a foundation that will set your dog or puppy up for success. Note, you only want to say the marker word once, and only when the dog has completed the action.

Great Bernese pup Rocky, went into puppy kindergarten very confident. In his first puppy class his mom chose the marker word “yes” then did a marker word loading exercise. Throughout the class, she used this marker word with Rocky so he understood when he completed a task correctly.

In the video below, you can see Rocky’s mom loading his marker word, the foundation of puppy marker word training.

This exercise helped Rocky quickly understand what she was looking for. The marker word lesson came in handy when Rocky’s mom taught him to go to his dog bed.

Summary of Puppy Marker Word Training

• Select and only use one marker word.
• The most common marker word is “yes.”
• When loading your marker word, walk around the house loading it in each room.
• Use your marker word the instant your puppy does the thing you want, unless the thing you want has duration.
• Avoid over pronouncing the marker word or saying it in an excited voice.
• Don’t repeat your marker word, only say it once.
• Don’t say any other words after saying the marker word for 5 seconds.

For puppy marker word training and other fun lessons, click here for more info or to enroll your puppy today.