Glossary

Capturing

Marking and rewarding a behavior the dog offers on its own, such as sitting or lying down, so that it happens more often.

Also called: capture training, capturing behavior, catching behavior

In capturing, the trainer does not ask for or guide a behavior. Instead the trainer waits, and when the dog does something useful, such as lying down or looking at the owner, the trainer marks it with a click or a word and gives a treat. The dog soon repeats the behavior to earn more.

It works well for behaviors that occur naturally, such as sitting, stretching, going to a mat or yawning on cue. It is slower than luring when the behavior is rare, and it needs good timing.

It is not the same as shaping, in which the trainer rewards small steps toward a behavior the dog has not yet offered. Once the behavior is reliable, a cue is added so the dog does it when asked.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Shaping Building a new behavior in small steps by rewarding each step that gets closer to the final goal. Luring A teaching method in which a treat held near the dog's nose guides it into a position, such as sit or down, which is then rewarded. Clicker training A reward-based method in which a small device makes a click at the instant a dog does the right thing, followed by a treat. Marker word A short word, such as "yes", said at the instant a dog does the right thing to tell it a reward is coming.