The Right Reward

Before I start this post, I'd like to remind the reader that most of the dogs that I deal with are not the ones that come from your local pet store or breeder.  I deal with the dogs that others have given up on, the ones that come off of death row at the animal shelter...  yeah, the dogs that humans have all but given up on.  These are my babies, the ones I rehabilitate and help.  Now that we've gotten that out of the way, please read the rest of this post with that in mind when I talk about the proper way to reward and train dogs.

There are people on both sides of the issue of using food based rewards for dog training.  The one thing everyone agrees on is that proper behavior should be rewarded.  Of course there are those who think the dog should just do what he's told and believe in forcing the dog until he complies.  These people are not dog trainers and have little clue on the behavior pattern of dogs.  I am a firm believer in strong corrections, but also believe in just as strong of praise and reward.  Jerking a dog around to get them to do what you want them to do is not only wrong, it is stupid.  Dogs are known as mans best friend because of the bond we share, and as you may notice, if you praise a dog verbally, his tail will wag.... proving he understands the praise.

That being said, we can address the issue of rewards for training.  In general I do not use food based rewards in training.  I say in general, because there are times when it is important.  The key element to remember is that it is a "reward."  The mistake many people make is giving the dog too much of a reward when it is not necessary.  Doing this takes the "reward" aspect out of the issue and makes it "the norm."  If a dog comes to expect his reward, next he will demand it, and bad things can come from this.  I had a client who had a dog who she trained with treats, and after the second reward, the dog would become aggressive in training, demanding more rewards.

It is also important to realize the personality of the dog that you are training.  If the dog is not "food motivated" treats will do you little good.  Some dogs respond better to verbal praise or physical touch than treats.  In any situation, dog training is dog specific.  You need to understand your dog in order to understand how best to train him.  A dog can not be trained from a manual written about "all dogs."  It is first and foremost important to understand you dog, what motivates him, his likes and dislikes in order to be fair in his training.  In any case, I whole heartedly advocate the use of rewards for proper behavior, whether it is treats or praise, figure out what motivates your dog and give it to him when he performs.

Food treats can be weaned in time and should be used in conjunction with verbal praise.  There are 3 phases to the training technique.  I'll talk more about this in another post.  But basically:

1. you tell you dog to do something

2. you show him what it is you are telling him to do

3. you praise him when he does it

Notice I did not say, "You ask your dog to do something."  Dogs do not respond well to requests.  The tone of your voice is the direction from which your dog takes direction.  The tone more so than the actual words.  Using a firm voice is what your dog understands.  Wishy washy tones are used for praise and reward, commanding tones are used for orders.

There are those who believe that a firm voice with a dog is wrong.  These are the same people who believe that training a dog is taking the life and freedom out of your dog.  I'll talk more about this in another blog, but basically these people do not understand dogs, and don't love the dog enough to lead them.  Dogs want a leader, they need a leader, without a leader they are dead.  If you can not lead your dog, you are allowing him to lead himself in a world he is not capable of dealing with, a world that will have him getting out, lost, hurt or killed in a shelter.