Building More Engagement in Osi’s Obedience With Reward Markers
Obedience should be more than a dog simply completing commands because they are required to. We want the dog to enjoy the interaction, stay engaged with the handler, and perform with energy and expression.
In this training session with Osi, we continued developing her understanding of the “get it” and “take it” reward markers. These markers will give us additional ways to reinforce her during training and help us build an obedience style that feels faster, more exciting, and more rewarding.
The long-term goal is for Osi to love obedience and move with enthusiasm because she wants to participate—not because she feels pressured to perform.
Why We Are Teaching Osi Additional Reward Markers
Reward markers provide clear information about when a behavior is complete and how the dog can access reinforcement.
Rather than using the same reward picture after every repetition, we are teaching Osi that different markers can lead to different reward locations and interactions. This creates more variety within the training and requires her to listen carefully instead of guessing what will happen next.
The two markers we are currently developing are:
“Get it” for an indirect reward
“Take it” for a direct reward
Building clarity between these markers will eventually allow us to use rewards more strategically throughout Osi’s obedience.
Understanding the “Get It” Marker
“Get it” is Osi’s indirect terminal reward marker.
When she hears “get it,” the behavior is complete and she is released away from the handler to access a reward located elsewhere. This may involve moving toward a toy, food reward, or another reinforcement placed within the training environment.
Indirect rewards can add energy and anticipation to obedience because the dog gets to accelerate away from the handler and actively pursue the reward.
For Osi, this can help bring more speed and excitement into the work while also teaching her to listen for the specific marker before leaving position.
Understanding the “Take It” Marker
“Take it” is Osi’s direct terminal reward marker.
This marker tells her that the behavior is finished and she may immediately engage the reward being presented by the handler.
The direct interaction gives us an opportunity to build stronger engagement between Osi and the person training her. Instead of always leaving the handler to access reinforcement, she learns that the reward can also come directly through the relationship and interaction.
This distinction becomes increasingly important as we begin combining different rewards, positions, and movement patterns within the same session.
Creating Clarity Between Direct and Indirect Rewards
The goal is not simply for Osi to become excited when she hears either phrase. She must understand that each marker leads to a different result.
When Osi hears “get it,” she should look away from the handler and move toward the indirect reward.
When she hears “take it,” she should remain connected to the handler and engage the reward being offered directly.
This requires her to process the marker rather than automatically moving toward whichever reward she expects to receive.
Developing that clarity gives us more control over how energy moves through an obedience session. We can send her away to create speed and then bring her back into direct interaction to rebuild focus and connection.
Using Reward Markers to Open Osi Up
One of the main reasons we are focusing so heavily on these markers is to help Osi become more expressive during obedience.
Osi can perform structured behaviors, but we want to bring more personality, movement, and enthusiasm into the finished work. Before we can shape that expression into advanced obedience, we first need to create an environment where she feels comfortable offering more energy.
The reward system gives us a way to encourage that change without forcing it.
By using markers that lead to play, movement, and different reinforcement locations, we can help Osi understand that obedience is not only about holding positions. It can also be an active and enjoyable game.
Building Engagement With the Handler
Engagement is a major part of the obedience picture we are developing.
We want Osi watching the handler, following movement, and staying mentally involved because she wants access to the interaction. The reward should not be the only valuable part of the session—the process of working with the handler should also become reinforcing.
The “take it” marker is especially helpful for this because the reward happens directly through the handler.
As Osi becomes more comfortable, we can use that interaction to build stronger eye contact, faster responses, and more energetic movement around the handler.
Bringing More Speed Into Obedience
Speed should come from clarity, confidence, and motivation.
We do not want Osi moving faster because she is worried about making a mistake or feels pressured into responding. We want her to accelerate because she understands the behavior and is excited about what comes next.
The “get it” marker can help create that speed by allowing her to drive away toward an indirect reward. We can then begin connecting that energy to recalls, position changes, focused heel work, and other obedience movements.
Over time, the goal is for Osi to bring that same enthusiasm into the behavior itself rather than only showing it after the marker.
Teaching Osi to Love the Work
The mindset behind the obedience matters as much as the final mechanics.
A dog can perform a technically correct behavior while appearing flat, disconnected, or uninterested. That may be acceptable for basic household obedience, but it is not the picture we want to develop with Osi.
We want her to look forward to training.
By creating clear reward systems and giving her multiple ways to earn reinforcement, we can help her become more invested in the work. The more success and enjoyment she experiences, the more likely she is to offer energy and expression voluntarily.
Preparing for More Expressive Obedience
These marker sessions are laying the foundation for the obedience we eventually want to build.
As Osi becomes more fluent with “get it” and “take it,” we can begin incorporating them into:
Focused heel work
Faster position changes
Spins and directional movements
Front and heel transitions
Recalls and send-away exercises
Longer obedience sequences
Direct and indirect reward discrimination
The finished behaviors will be introduced gradually, but the reward system must be clear before we begin asking for greater technical difficulty.
Progress Through Repetition
Osi is continuing to make progress with both reward markers.
Each session helps her better understand where the reward will come from and how she should respond when she hears the marker. As that understanding becomes stronger, we can begin using the reward system to create more speed, engagement, and expression throughout her obedience.
This is still the beginning of the process, but the foundation is taking shape.
Our goal is not simply to make Osi complete obedience commands. We want her to enjoy the work, stay connected to the handler, and perform with enthusiasm because she genuinely wants to participate.
To learn more about our working dog, board and train, and advanced obedience programs, visit www.primalcanine.com.