Field Guide · Glossary
Marker word
Learning scienceA word taught to mean that whatever the dog just did has earned something, delivered immediately afterwards.
How it works
Its job is timing. Reinforcement usually cannot arrive at the exact instant a behavior happens, and a marker bridges that gap by identifying the moment precisely and promising that payment follows. That makes it possible to reinforce brief or distant behaviors, such as a glance or a decision made twenty feet away. It is loaded before it is used, and it means one thing only, which is why using the same word as a cue muddles both jobs.
What it looks like
A dog turns away from another dog across the road. The handler says the marker word at the instant the head turns, and the treat is delivered three seconds later once the dog has come back. The word identified which behavior was paid.
Commonly confused with
- Cue
- A cue comes before a behavior and asks for it. A marker comes immediately after and confirms it earned something. Using the same word for both leaves the dog unable to tell a request from a receipt.
Related terms
Where this comes up
Gear that helps
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Clicker
A clear, consistent marker your dog learns to trust. One click means "yes, that, a treat is coming," which sharpens your timing on everything else.
Treat pouch (clip-on)
You can't reward fast enough digging in a pocket. A pouch you open one-handed changes your timing, and this one has a magnetic close plus a built-in clicker.
High-value freeze-dried training treats
The paycheck. For reactive work the reward has to beat the trigger, so we keep these tiny, soft, and genuinely exciting, not everyday biscuits.
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