I have a 8 week old labrador who is extremely food motivated. I have been using each meal as a training session, and marking correct behaviors with a clicker. I am currently working on sit with him. He loves to sit, however, he also barks as he sits in anticipation for his food. I am afraid to keep marking his sits while he is barking. I do not want to condition him to think that the barking is a good behavior. Will this work itself out, or is my concern warranted?
Hi Bradley, welcome to the forum Congratulations on your puppy! You get more of what your reinforce in dog training, so I'd do my best to click at a moment when he's sitting quietly. Otherwise there's a risk of him thinking that the behavior you want is "sitting and barking" (it's not for him to question why you would want such a thing!). You might also be interested in Pippa's "click for quiet" technique, which she describes in this article. Good luck, let us know how you get on!
