Marking Behavior with Primary Reinforcer

The K-9 BSD's solenoid produces an audible click which serves as marking stimulus to the animal that the primary reinforcer (reward) is immediately available, for the preceding behavior. This makes it very useful to accurately mark active behaviors.

Other benefits include marking behavior when device is not visible to the animal (such as hidden in blind or some other cover) and serving as directional training aid for exercises (such as blind search, send out, or broad jumps). The device is audible from 400 feet with no background noise, the same distance as the maximum range of the transmitter and receiver.

Marking Behavior with Secondary Reinforcer

(Verbal Release Command)

The K-9 BSD will produce a very high state of arousal after training active behaviors in an animal; therefore, making it too distracting for some types of training or more passive behaviors. For example, attempting to heel with the device setup in view of animal will cause crowding and other sign tracking to develop. Because a large percentage of the animal's focus is on the release of reward (primary reinforcer), instead of on heeling. As a result, it is very beneficial to train and use a verbal release command to mark behavior (such as yes, ok, etc.) at the instant the animal is performing desired behavior. You can then put a momentary delay in release of reward and allow time for animal to react to presentation. This keeps animal's attention to stay more focused on heeling as he becomes conditioned to reward is only available after release cue. The release command is a terminating bridge that closes the gap in time between marker and presentation of reward. It is also a signal to dog that you are finished and toy is available for play.

Marking Behavior with Secondary Reinforcer

(Remote Controlled Release Cue)

In other specialized training such as off lead search and odor detection a secondary reinforcer may be trained with use of a beeper collar. This allows training a recall refind by cueing recall at source and reinforcing behavior at handler. The dog can stay focused on odor alert indication with out trying to anticipate when and where reward will become available. This is only introduced after foundation training is solid or can be easily added with current in service dogs training regime.

Marking Behavior with Verbal NRM

(No Reward Marker)

Use of a no reward marker teaches the animal that its behavior will not gain a reward. A lot of trainers use “Uh-Uh!” “Nope” or “Too Bad” as the NRM. The purpose of a NRM is to get the animal to try something different. It is not a conditioned punisher and should not be used when animal does something you don’t want it to ever do. It is used when the animal's behavior might be correct in different circumstance, but not the one you are teaching.

See an example of NRM being used in the Blind Search Video.