Positive Reinforcement for Dog Training
Understanding Positive Reinforcement and Why it Works to Train your Dog
We've all heard of this thing called "positive reinforcement" by now. Some people laugh it off; there's no way a dog's going to listen JUST by being nice to it right? Well, positive reinforcement can actually be a very powerful training tool for dogs. However what most people don't understand is that it's not as simple as telling your dog to do something, praising it when it does, and ignoring it when it doesn't. There are definitely some things to watch out for if you want to use positive reinforcement to train your dog.
1. You must IMMEDIATELY reward desired behavior.
The thing about dogs is that they don't take into account past experiences or future predictions when doing something. They just..do it. That's right, dogs pretty much live in the moment. Therefore for this training to work, you must reward them right when they do what you want. Rewarding after a delayed period of time might cause confusion and definitely won't get your point across.
The thing about dogs is that they don't take into account past experiences or future predictions when doing something. They just..do it. That's right, dogs pretty much live in the moment. Therefore for this training to work, you must reward them right when they do what you want. Rewarding after a delayed period of time might cause confusion and definitely won't get your point across.
2. Keep your training fun and short.
Make training short, fun and just enjoyable for the dog. After all, you want your dog to associate good things with obedience. Try to end training on a positive note as well.
3. Keep the treats in moderation.
You can use treats if you're just starting to train your dog, but you should teach your dog to not depend on them in the long run. Try to lessen the amount of treats you give after repeat successes but keep giving tons of praise and affection. Clickers might help with the association too. Essentially you're teaching your dog to do these things to please you, not for the treats. (PS, This is also why our dog training program uses a NO TREAT method!)
4. Don't complicate things for your dog.
Try not to lengthen your commands too much. For example, instead of saying "eat your food", it would be much better to simply say "eat". Don't forget tip number 1 after your dog performs the desired behavior. Keep things simple.
5. Be consistent with your training.
Don't let your dog on the bed and offer tons of affection, then also reward your dog for staying down. This confuses the dog with what you really want. If you live with other people, make sure they know the rules and follow them when it comes to giving your dogs commands. Having people give different commands and approvals to the dog can get quite frustrating and complicated for the dog!
6. You CAN say NO!
Some people mistake positive reinforcement as a way to completely take away the job of correcting your dog. That is simply not the case. If your dog is not doing something right, you should absolutely feel free to correct your dog and the behavior it is displaying. However, corrections and positive reinforcement should be separate so your dog doesn't get confused. Ideally there should be a balance between the two.
Make training short, fun and just enjoyable for the dog. After all, you want your dog to associate good things with obedience. Try to end training on a positive note as well.
3. Keep the treats in moderation.
You can use treats if you're just starting to train your dog, but you should teach your dog to not depend on them in the long run. Try to lessen the amount of treats you give after repeat successes but keep giving tons of praise and affection. Clickers might help with the association too. Essentially you're teaching your dog to do these things to please you, not for the treats. (PS, This is also why our dog training program uses a NO TREAT method!)
4. Don't complicate things for your dog.
Try not to lengthen your commands too much. For example, instead of saying "eat your food", it would be much better to simply say "eat". Don't forget tip number 1 after your dog performs the desired behavior. Keep things simple.
5. Be consistent with your training.
Don't let your dog on the bed and offer tons of affection, then also reward your dog for staying down. This confuses the dog with what you really want. If you live with other people, make sure they know the rules and follow them when it comes to giving your dogs commands. Having people give different commands and approvals to the dog can get quite frustrating and complicated for the dog!
6. You CAN say NO!
Some people mistake positive reinforcement as a way to completely take away the job of correcting your dog. That is simply not the case. If your dog is not doing something right, you should absolutely feel free to correct your dog and the behavior it is displaying. However, corrections and positive reinforcement should be separate so your dog doesn't get confused. Ideally there should be a balance between the two.
Unsure about the best way to train your dog? We're here to help you create the best dog and owner relationship possible. Just shoot us a message and we can get working on creating that perfect bond for you and your dog. |
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