In this video, I’m working with our new poodle pup and introducing one of the most important foundations in our program: Marker Training (also commonly called clicker training).
I use the verbal marker “yes” to clearly communicate the exact behavior I want. The dog performs the behavior → I mark → then immediately reward with food. This method works for every dog, at any age, and it’s how I start all of our new trainees.
In this first lesson, we’re focusing on:
- Building confidence
- Making training fun and easy to understand
- Desensitization and exposure
- Stepping on/off objects
- Getting comfortable with the training environment
As we progress, we’ll move into:
- Eye contact
- Sit
- Down
- Stand
- Confidence-building games
- And a variety of other foundational service dog skills
This is the very first step in creating a clear communication system and helping the dog feel confident, successful, and excited to work.