If you ever questioned your mechanics this video is for you.

I demonstrate 3 home positions.

Home positions are where are hands are during the training session.

Home positions are important so we keep our hand in place or have a place to return to after delivery of reinforcement. We can use home positions with both verbal marker words or a mechanical marker such as a clicker.

1st position I speak of is the sternum or diaphragm position.

This is where we keep our hand right under our chest. When using a clicker, I am able to keep the clicker out of sight (in my hand) and my hand on the same side as my bait pouch will be reinforcement hand.

Regardless of verbal or mechanical marker, the mark will always be first.

After the mark is complete, my reinforcement hand moves to the bait pouch for a treat, once a treat is retrieved, the reinforcing hand moves to my learners mouth to deliver the reinforcement, with in 1-3 seconds. The sooner the better so our learner associates the reinforcement with the behavior. After delivery of reinforcement my hand returns to home base postion. I like to say this is a four step process.

Mark (mark the moment)

then

Move (to to bait pouch)

then

Reinforce (deliver reinforcement)

then

Return (return to home base)

Second home base position is hands at our side.

keeping our hands naturally at rest and at our sides in the area of our pant pockets.

same process of marking/ delivery will take place in this home base position as well as all the others.

(Mark the moment)

then

Move (to bait pouch)

then

Reinforce (deliver reinforcement)

then

Return (return to home base)

Third position is behind our back. This home base I like to use with people who have a difficult time keeping hands quiet and fidget a lot.

( Mark the moment)

then

Move (to to bait pouch)

then

Reinforce (deliver reinforcement)

then

Return (return to home base)

Practice what position works best for you and get your reps in. We must practice our mechanics so we can mark behaviors at the right times and reinforce properly so our learner associates the mark and reinforcement with the behavior. Clean mechanics make the learning environment as non distracting as possible and our communication clear and consistent.

Key Tips:

Keep body quiet and excess movement to a minimum, so not to distract our learner.

Make sure we are not over shadowing our marker with movement during the marker. Keep it clean and separated. Mark then move.

Deliver reinforcement within 1-3 seconds of the marker.

If you have any questions please drop a message in the comments or dm me or email me.

Be an advocate, train humane.