It may appear that rewarding your dog is an easy task at first glance, correct? However, effectively rewarding your dog involves more than merely providing them with food and wishing for positive outcomes. Issues arise when our signals are perplexing and the dog cannot comprehend them. Hence, we greatly advocate for consistency and simplicity in both commands and rewards during training.
In dog and puppy training, dogs and puppies have a strong affinity for being rewarded, as it serves as an effective method of reinforcing their behavior. The rewards are divided into specific categories.
- Verbal praise
- Affection
- Food or Objects
Rewarding Your Dog or Puppy in Training
To assist you in training your pet and fostering a solid bond, we present our guidelines on how to reward your dog or puppy during training.
Verbal Praise
There are a couple of advantages to this type of reward. Firstly, it is constantly accessible without the need to remember treats. Secondly, it provides instant gratification as you can commend your dog immediately, thereby strengthening the desired behavior.
To reinforce the behavior you requested, we suggest combining the chosen reward word (such as “Good!”) with the specific behavior word (such as “sit”, “down”, or “stay”). This way, the dog understands that they have pleased you and the desired behavior is reinforced.
You don’t have to excessively praise your dog as it can actually confuse them. Just keep your praise simple and consistent.
Affection
A single pat or stroke on the head, along with some simple verbal praise, will be sufficient.
Food or Objects
Dogs are often highly motivated by food, which makes it an effective reward for training. However, it is important to be cautious about the type of food used as a reward. The majority of commercially available dog treats contain a high amount of calories. While they can be given as occasional treats, regular use in training may lead to weight gain in dogs.
When considering options, we suggest opting for small training treats that consist of a solitary ingredient, such as beef liver or chicken. Alternatively, you can utilize your dog’s regular kibble for training by setting aside a portion of their daily ration for this purpose. This approach ensures that you don’t overindulge your dog or cause any digestive issues by introducing unfamiliar food.
CLICKER TRAINING
In our puppy and obedience classes, we utilize a clicker as a tool for positive dog training. This clicker enables us to accurately indicate a desired behavior during the brief timeframe required for the dog to associate the behavior with the reward.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY SOCIALIZATION
We hold the belief that socialization holds more importance for your dog compared to training. This might appear unconventional to hear from dog trainers, but bear in mind – we are not your typical trainers! Our motto is: “We focus on training the people who cherish their dogs, rather than training the dogs themselves.”
When considering why socialization is more important than training, it is important to note that when asking individuals about their desired qualities in a dog, they do not mention the ability to sit, stay, and lie down. Rather, they express a desire for a dog that is happy, calm, and environmentally stable, one that can be taken out in public without concerns of barking, nipping, running off, and causing trouble.
How can you achieve a content and steady dog? It is not solely achieved through training commands. Instead, it is accomplished by providing them with ample opportunities for socialization.
When socializing your dog or puppy, it involves safely and positively introducing them to different people, places, objects, noises, scents, as well as other dogs and animals.
Interacting with other dogs is important for your puppy’s development of confidence and their individual playing style. It is desired for your dog to be relaxed and cheerful around other dogs, rather than being reactive or frightened. The Zoom Room offers the perfect environment for your puppy to learn how to socialize effectively with other dogs. This can be achieved through our small group classes, playgroups, or private training sessions if your puppy requires extra support to alleviate anxiety.
