Positive Dog Training: HOW to Reward Your Dog For Maximum Results!

Positive Dog Training: HOW to Reward Your Dog For Maximum Results!

If positive dog training is what you’re all about when it comes to raising your four-legged friend, then you’re probably already familiar with why we need to reinforce good behaviour.  As a rule, if your dog makes a choice that you like – make sure that choice is rewarding for him, and he’ll be more like to make that choice again! (for an in-depth look at reward, punishment, and the four quadrants of operant conditioning, check out our article right here) But exactly how do we do that? Here, we share our top tips on making sure the way you reward your dog is ACTUALLY rewarding enough to help him learn, and making sure that you’re really teaching him what you think you are!

 

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When Should I Reward?

Positive dog training focuses heavily on a reward-based approach to training. But in reality, many people simply do not reward their dogs as often as they should – or, more often than not, they’re rewarding all the wrong things! If you own an attention-seeking dog, who waits until the moment you’ve sat down at the end of a hard day to deliver all their toys to your lap, and then whine at you to play with them, then the behaviour you’d really like to see is probably a dog who, instead of hassling you, trots off to their bed and relaxes (as long as all their basic needs of food, toileting and exercise have been met, of course.) But I bet that whenever your attention-seeking dog does take them self off to bed, you ignore them entirely… for fear of getting them over-excited and re-awakening the beast!

 

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But then what are you teaching them? Going to bed isn’t rewarding at all, so it’s never going to be your dog’s first choice. Instead, try ignoring all your dog’s attention-seeking efforts, then quietly and calmly dropping a tasty treat into their bed the moment they finally do retreat to it. Of course, the first time you do this, you may well ‘reawaken the beast’ with excitement, but stay calm, ignore the attention-seeking, and repeat the reward as soon as they return to their bed again, and you’d be AMAZED how quickly that dog’s bed will massively grow in value to them! Before you know it, with dedication and repetition, your dog’s bed will become a magnet to them, and your evenings will be calmer, with both of you enjoying a well-earned rest.

 

Positive dog training in practise - dog on boundary

 

Markers – How Are They Used in Positive Dog Training & How to Get Started

Sometimes when our dogs make a great choice, it can be tricky to get their reward to them quickly enough for them to know exactly what it is that earned them it. For example, you tell your dog to ‘sit’ and they do, but as you’re grabbing the treat out of your pocket, they stand up again and bark before you’ve had the chance to give it to them. Now, you’re no longer rewarding the sit, but one of the choices they made after that!

This is where a marker comes in. It is essentially an instant verbal, visual or auditory indication that the dog has made the correct choice. Many trainers use clickers, others choose a word like ‘yes’ or ‘right,’ and deaf dog owners can use visual markers, like a clear thumbs up. Markers are always followed up by a reward, but they buy you the time you need if that reward isn’t always easy to deliver instantly, and ensure the dog associates the reward with the correct behaviour.

If you’ve never used a marker before, it’s easy to get started. First you need to charge your marker. So pick your word, sound or sign, deliver it, then immediately follow up with a reward. So, if you were using a clicker, you would sit with your dog, and simply click, treat, click, treat, click treat. You are building a positive association with your marker, so that when you deliver it during training, your dog sees it as part of his reward – he therefore knows that the behaviour he performed which was ‘marked’ is the one he is being rewarded for. This is a fantastic way to take the sloppiness out of training, and ensure your dog can learn quickly and efficiently, without confusion.

 

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Choose Your Reinforcer Wisely – Top Tips For Jackpot Rewards

Your reinforcer is the reward, or rewarding behaviour that you are going to allow your dog access to as a result of their great choice. A lot of people think there are pretty much only two options here, food or a toy, right? Wrong! There are so many things your dog enjoys and finds rewarding; think sniffing, scavenging, chasing… you can use ANY behaviour your dog enjoys as a reinforcer, if you think outside the box a little! Reward your dog for an excellent recall by brandishing his favourite toy… and then running away from him with it – that game of chase is a fantastic reward! Likewise, if you’re going to reward with food, don’t just put it in your dog’s mouth, why not bowl each treat along the ground for them to chase, throw it up in the air for them to catch, or scatter a few pieces in the grass for them to search and scavenge. Try to think of the toy or the piece of food itself as merely the vehicle of reinforcement… the real reward comes when you turn those inanimate items into exciting events!

 

Positive dog training in practise - dog catching a treat

 

Perfect Placement for Powerful Positive Dog Training

Now we know when to reward, and how to reward… but what about where to reward? If a chuck-it ball is repeatedly thrown 50 metres away, then the dog learns that distance is rewarding, rather than close proximity to their owner. Placement is also important when you’re trying to train a concept like boundaries (teaching your dog to stay put on their bed, or another designated zone) To encourage calm duration on the boundary, place each food reward out on the bed itself. To build excitement for the dog’s approach to the bed, on the other hand, place a piece of food out on the floor away from it, then release the dog to the food, giving the space required to run straight back to their bed, and earn their next rewarding release!

 

Rewarding too far away - dog chasing a ball

 

Want to take a more coordinated approach to your positive dog training, and put your awesome new reward strategy to good use? Check out our full range of printable dog training trackers, planners and guides right here!

 

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Remember to always make good choices rewarding for your dog, and you’ll both reap the benefits!

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