Teddy’s Top Training Tip: Have you rewards handy so that you can mark and reward the right behaviours/ training exercises.
Have your rewards handy so that you can mark and reward the right behaviours/training exercises.
There are many different rewards that dogs love, however training your dog should be a game – all dogs love to play and be rewarded for playing. However, it is the delivery of the reward that is important on how a dog will not only respond but also how they will link what behaviour or training exercise they will be rewarded for.
There are many rewards that can be beneficial:
- Food – this is a biological factor for survival but it is also an enjoyable treat for your dog.
- Toys – special toys that mean something to your dog is a vital and valid point to think about – getting a toy and waving the toy in front of your dog’s face hoping they will play with it, may not produce the right behaviour. Your dog has to value the toy.
- Games – like toys you have worked hard to play with your dog for it means something to them. Puppies love to play and we find it easy and enjoyable to play with them, however as puppies grow into adult dogs play often diminishes.
Both play and toys are a very complex part of rewards and it is important to get them right when using them as rewards in training.
Once you have worked out what reward(s) your dog loves and will work for, then when you are out training make sure you have this reward to hand.
Having a reward in a closed bag means that you may spend time finding the reward before responding to your dog.
Think about what you are rewarding if your rewards reduce then over a period of time the same may happen to your training and behaviour.