Negative Marker
vs.
Correction
How To Tell The Difference!
This video is great because not only is it very clear on the markers the handler is using "Yes, Good and No" but it displays that even with the use of a negative marker the dog remains engaged and HAPPY!
Ashley Hoedel - Owner & Head Trainer - InFocus Dog Sports
So what is a negative marker and what is a correction?
Negative: (Of a person, attitude, or situation) that is not desirable or optimistic.
Marker: An object used to indicate a position, place, or route.
Correction: Punishment intended to reform, improve, or rehabilitate.
In my training I rely a lot on verbal markers and from my experience, whether I am surrounded by friends or trainers, when I use the term "negative marker" a lot of the time I can feel the tension of the group rise.
I am not here today to tell you the right or wrong way to train your dog, but I am here to tell you what a negative markers really is, the difference between a correction and how markers are used in training.
A negative marker should be used as an indicator NOT a punishment.
I use markers to communicate with my dog and communication in dog training is key! Communication is a form of receiving instruction, communication promotes learning and communication makes room for decisions.
With that being said negative markers are not the only type of marker I use and should never be used on their own, markers should always be used as a part of a system. A marker system should be made up of five different markers; a marker to begin training, a positive marker, a negative marker, a neutral marker and a marker to stop the session.
Did you know that some people may use negative markers every day without even knowing it?
Some examples of negative markers are:
- Stopping play
- No verbal response
- No click in clicker training
- "Oops" instead of "no"
- A change in body language
- A change of your voice (from high to low)
All of these things can be interpreted as a negative marker, being able to understand what a negative marker is and the difference between a correction, gives you the power to use them.
I have attached this video published by Leeburg demonstrating the proper use of negative markers.
(You will need to re-direct to YouTube and skip to about 2 minutes).