Reward Based Training
Reward-based training relies on finding something your puppy wants so that they try hard to get it. Careful positioning of the reward and good timing allows you to reward the behaviours you like, making your puppy want to repeat them. These behaviours can then be put on cue.
Using food
During puppy classes, many food treats will be needed to lure the puppy into doing the correct action so that they can be rewarded. Puppies will work for small rewards so make sure the treats are the size of a small pea (slightly larger for larger puppies) so that they don’t get full up too quickly. Puppies will work hardest for smelly, moist foods. You might like to try:
- Cheese
- Cooked sausage
- Liver sausage
- Cooked chicken
- Liver, cooked and dried
- Prepared treats such as Natures Menu puppy treats
If you introduce too many treats straight away to keep your puppy working for a class that lasts 1 hour, it may upset their stomach. For this reason, try to introduce the treat foods gradually over the week before the lessons starts. Find out what your puppy likes best and use the best rewards for the hardest exercises.
Using games
Most puppies will work for food but some are more interested in playing than eating. If your puppy is like this, you will need to use games with toys to encourage your puppy to work for you. The important reward from the puppy’s point of view is the game rather than acquiring the toy, so be sure to give your puppy a good game with the toy when hthey do the right thing, rather than just handing over the toy. Games that puppies enjoy fall into 3 categories:
- Chase
- Tug
- Squeaky toy games
Be sure to use your puppy’s favourite game for training (be careful with developing puppy mouths if you are using tug games and don’t pull too hard).
Owner objections
There are some objections to the use of food or rewards in training, for example, some owners feel it is bribery and that the puppy will never learn to work for their approval, while others feel that you will always need to go out for walks armed with pockets full of treats and toys to reward good behaviour. None of these objections have any foundation once you get reward-based training right. In reality, food and rewards are used only to teach our puppies what we want them to do and, later, once the action is well learned, we can reduce the rewards given to a manageable level.
The importance of praise
Food and games are useful as a way of beginning the training for helping a puppy understand what you want them to do. However, the main objective is to get your puppy working for you because they want to please you. To do this, you need to develop a relationship with your puppy and let them know that you are pleased when they do something correctly. As soon as you begin training, use praise in addition to the rewards offered. As your training develops and you begin to reduce the rewards given, your puppy will rely on your praise to know that they have done the right thing. Developing a good relationship with your puppy, based on love and respect, will help to ensure that they keep working well for your praise, especially if they are encouraged by periodic rewards and occasional special treat for doing the right thing.
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