Module One

Why Use Touchpads:

Touchpads are used to teach a dog advanced behaviors: heeling,
obedience. The thing with touchpads is that a dog wont be
rewarded directly or instantly but the dog must move away from
the reward source then the dog will be rewarded.
Marker training- Release and Duration:
Marker training is a training that involves marking a moment in
time where the dog was correct or did a correct behavior this
mark or signal will tell the dog:
a) That is correct or the behavior you did was correct
b) You are released from that behavior
c) You will be rewarded shortly
This is also called classical conditioning where the dog is
conditioned to whatever word or noise we are making
knowing or predicting that food or reward is coming. There
are two types of Markers:
1. Release Marker
2. Duration Marker
The release marker means you are correct therefore you are
released from what you are doing, I will give you a treat.
The Duration marker means you are correct keep doing what
you are doing until I release you then I will bring the reward to
you.
Items used as Touchpads
Big surface items will be used first then we use small pads. The
pads should be:
a) Elevated
b) Big enough for a dog to stand on his 4 feet.
c) Different than the rest of the surface we are working on

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*Leashes and collars: if shaping or luring didnt work with
the dog then a lightweight leash and collar should be used
but as a guidance for the dog not as correction.

Food rewards: Why & How

The food Rewards used should be:
a) Valuable or desirable for the dog
b) Soft in order to be eaten quickly
c) Small in size in order to give more pieces for a bigger reward
d) Healthy and Natural

Food Drive: is the level of interest in the food reward by the dog.
Some dogs Have high food drive some low food drive. Low food
prey drive dogs are difficult to train. A dogs food drive can be
increased by:
a) Making sure the dog is hungry before training.
b) Releasing/Rewarding the dog with more than one piece of
food to keep him engaged and anticipated for the next
reward
c) Maintaining backward movement during the reward Process.
d) Keeping hands as close as possible to our body while
rewarding so that the dog will come to us.
*Meals can be turned into training for low food drive dogs.
Instead of dogs dinner we train him with the same quantity.

Toy Rewards: How & Why

In some dogs, Toy rewards have higher value than food rewards. If
the dogs toy drive is high we can use this to our advantage only
if:

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1. The dog return to the handler with the toy for more play
2. The dog releases the toy on command
3. The dog has self-control in the presence of the toy.
The toy used should be:
a) Appropriate in size to the dogs mouth
b) Comfortable for the dog to grip on
c) Easy to put in vest
d) Enough surface area for the dogs mouth and the handler to
tug.
Training Environment
The training environment should be distraction free at least until
the dog is trained and taught the behavior then we move to a
busier place. We also should be careful about the state the dog is
in before training. If a dog was lying on the couch before training
then the training session wont be successful at first because we
are removing him from his comfortable state. We can crate a dog
an hour before training then the training session will be more
anticipating and the dog will be more engaged with us. After the
training session is over we want to put the dog in a distraction
free area so that the dog will figure out what we done and the
information we gave to the dog will stew in his mind to be
developed.