Pay Your Dog

Reliable dog training means reliably rewarding your dog for behaviors you like. Here are a few tips on how to reward your dog the right way.

Decades of dog trainers and thousands of dog training opinions should mean that we have this down to a science, right?

Well, in some ways, there is plenty of research to help direct your dog training course. But, there are also a lot of opinions and contradicting advice that can wear down even the most enthusiastic of dog trainers.

Sometimes it helps to take a step back from confusing and conflicting opinions and evaluate the situation through a simpler lens. Rewarding a dog will encourage behaviors to continue. Whether you'd like to train your dog with positive-only methods or balanced training, the reward is a vital building block for communication and success.

Intentionally reward your dog for behaviors you'd like to create. This should start whenever your dog joins the family, whether as a pup or an adult.

• Every morning, measure the amount of kibble your dog will eat that day.
  

• Did your dog come up to you and politely sit? Great! Use that kibble to reinforce behaviors you'd like to encourage. Tell your dog 'good sit' or whatever cue/command you want to pair that behavior with.
  

• Even if you haven't taught your dog the word sit, that's okay. Right now, you're just working on imprinting behaviors you like into your pup's brain (sit, down, things like that), and just because they don't know the word sit, doesn't mean they won't start to realize that by coming up to you and immediately sitting, they make you happy and earn themselves a treat. This style of training is called capturing and rewarding a dog's behavior and is proven to be very effective in helping dogs build excellent communication skills with their human. When you give your dog a chance to figure out what you want, they become awesome problem solvers, and it turns training into an engaging and bonding experience.

The reward value needs to match the level of task difficulty.

Daily kibble is excellent for capturing and reinforcing behaviors. There is no reason your pup needs to be eating every meal from a bowl. Why waste such a great opportunity for consistent bonding and training? However, if you and your dog are moving your training sessions to a new location, you need to offer a higher-value reward (a yummier treat) and make sure they stay engaged with you.

• When changing training locations (think, going from your kitchen to your front yard), do so in a controlled setting. Make sure your pup is on a leash to build their engagement with you and minimize the risk of self-rewarding negative behaviors.
  

• Are you going for your morning walk? Take a second to pause during the trek. If you've taught your dog a sit cue, choose a quiet location to deliver that cue. If they sit, reward them with a high-value treat. String cheese cut into little pieces is a great option! This excitement over the increased reward will create a higher level of desire to engage with you even while under distractions.
  

• Pay attention to your dog's behavior. Are you nearing a busy park or a neighbor's house with kids laughing outside and notice your pup becoming distracted by the new environment? Each time your dog chooses to ignore that environment by engaging with you (even if that engagement is just simple eye contact), offer them their high-value treat.
  

• Don't try to push your pup's limit. If your pup isn't following cues, offering behaviors, or paying any attention to you when added distractions around (fresh air, new smells, and so on), pause the training session. There's no benefit to training while either of you is frustrated.
  

• Plan your next steps. If your dog didn't follow cues due to a heightened level of distraction, back up on your next training to a quieter area. Maybe just your own backyard! If your dog excelled and was completely focused on offering you behaviors to earn a reward, move on to a slightly more challenging arena. But remember, your reward always needs to match the level of difficulty.
  

Keep it short and sweet, and slowly work toward more distractions during future training sessions.

Questions about how and when to reward your pup? Drop a comment below or send me an email, and we'll work together to help your Best K9 shine!