It is important for the handler to understand communication from the dog. The dog can give signals that he is unsure, confused, nervious, excited and happy ect. For a dog to learn efficiently the emotional state of the dog is important for directing the training, if a dog is stressed or distracted it will not learn efficiently.

According to Learning Theory there are four basic important message that the handler and send the dog.

Reward or release marker Correct behavior. You have earned a reward. Keep going signal Correct behavior. Continue and you will earn a reward. No reward marker Incorrect behavior. Try something else. Punishment marker Incorrect behavior. You have earned punishment.

Being consistent with signals or words for these messages enables the dog to understand them more quickly.

It is important to note that the dog's reward is not the same as the reward marker. The reward marker is a signal that tells the dog that he has earned the reward. Rewards can be a praise, treats, play, or anything that the dog finds rewarding.

Failure to reward after the reward marker diminishes the value of the reward marker and makes training difficult .These four messages may be communicated verbally or with nonverbal signals. Automatic clickers are frequently used as a reward marker. Hand signals and body language also play an important part in learning for dogs.

Dogs do not simplify commands easily. A command which may work indoors might be confusing out-of-doors in a park or in a different situation. The command will need to be re-taught in each new situation, for instance when training at home, you training in every room of the house including the garden. This is sometimes called "cross-contextualization," meaning the dog has to apply what's been learned to many different contexts.

Most training revolves around establishing consequences for the dog’s behaviour. Operant conditioning defines these following four types of consequences.

 Positive reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again.

Negative reinforcement removes something from the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again.

Positive punishment adds something to the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again.

Negative punishment removes something from the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again.

Most trainers claim that they use "positive training methods ". Generally, this means using reward-based training using treats, toys ect, to increase good behaviour rather than physical punishment to decrease bad behaviour.

Basically, dog training is about communication. From the human perspective, the handler is communicating to the dog what behaviours are correct, desired, or preferred in what circumstances and what behaviours are undesirable. From the canine perspective the handler must learn what motivates the dog if optimal results are desired. Remember training should be fun for both dog and handler.

 The meanings of these four signals are taught to the dog through repetition, so that he may form an association by classical conditioning so that the dog associates the punishment marker with the punishment itself.