The Power of Training Dogs with Markers

This video was written and produced by Ed Frawley. It's goal is to introduce the dog trainer to the world of marker training in dogs. It sets the stage for the series of traning DVD's that Ed later produced with Michael Ellis.

Marker training (also called clicker training) is one of the most profound systems of training dogs that I have seen in my 50 years of owning, breeding and training working dogs.

In reality this is a training system that is not that difficult to learn. In it's most basic form it's a method of communication that is very very clear for the dog. Dogs learn the marker language quickly and when they do they thrive in the training. The marker system produces dogs that love to train.

I had been training dogs for almost 45 years when I started to learn this system. I felt like a kid in a candy store when I saw how well it worked and the attitude of my dogs that were being trained with markers. The fact is I still feel like that when I see dogs work with markers.

It was not that many years ago (in 1990’s) that I was pretty vocal about how stupid I thought clicker training was. Those comments were made from a position of ignorance and a lack of understanding. Simply put, I was dead wrong and I made those comments without knowing the details of how the system worked. The power of marker training lies in understanding and applying the details.

Dog training is a learned skill. The goal of this DVD is to introduce dog trainers to the details of training with markers. In my DVD I show and demonstrate the finer points of the marker system. I not only demonstrate the use of markers in the basic commands, but I also included examples of how markers can be used in more difficulty exercises, like the retrieve and the send away.

Trainers must understand the details of this system if they are to be successful. Once they grasp the concept and learn to apply it to their training they create dogs that become problem solvers and dogs that love the work.

The concept markers can be applied to any dog sport, including bite work.

You can get a feel for the content of this DVD by going to my web site and reading the article I wrote on The Power of Training with Markers.

Marker training can be started on 8 week old puppies or 6 year old dominant rescue dogs. It is a purely positive method of training dogs that is 100% non-confrontational. That is one of the reasons it can work with dominant dogs. This system goes a long way towards building or repairing the bond between handler and dog.

While I sincerely believe that training dogs with the motivational methods of marker training is the best way to train a dog, I also believe that this work needs to be balanced by introducing corrections into the more advanced training. Purists would argue this point but in my DVD I discuss when and how certain dogs need corrections.

Since the early 1900’s dog training has been an evolving skill. We only need to look back to the 1970’s and the methods of William Kholer or Winifred Strickland to see how far dog training has improved is the last 25 years. In my opinion no one is ever going to reinvent a better way to train dogs than with markers. The only thing that we will see change will be people who do a better job of applying this method of dog training.

If you have trained dogs for years and think you are pretty good but you do not work with the marker system, I suggest you take a few days and study this DVD. You too may find a whole new method of K9 communication and it may re-ignite a fire in your belly to get out and train.


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