Field Guide · Glossary
Reward placement
Methods and protocolsWhere and how a reward is delivered, chosen so that the delivery itself sets up the next repetition or supports the behavior being trained.
How it works
The marker identifies the behavior, and then the reward has to go somewhere. That location has its own effect on what the dog learns. Food delivered in front of a dog in a stay draws them forward, while food delivered to the dog in position keeps them there. Food tossed behind the dog after a sit resets them to stand up and sit again. Food delivered at the handler's leg during leash walking makes that position the place where good things happen. Placement can also be used for calm or for energy: a treat placed between the front paws encourages settling, and a treat thrown for the dog to chase raises arousal. Because it shapes what the dog does next, placement is often a quicker fix than adding more training.
What it looks like
A dog in a sit-stay keeps creeping forward. The handler has been tossing the treat to the dog from a distance, and the dog moves to meet it. Walking back and delivering the treat to the dog's mouth while they are still sitting stops the creeping within a session.
Commonly confused with
- Marker word
- The marker word says which moment earned the reward. Reward placement is what happens after that, where the reward arrives. A correct marker with poor placement can still teach the wrong thing.
Related terms