JULIE’S THOUGHTS FOR MORE GOOD DOGMA, APRIL 2009

“How can I tempt you?” Said the human to the dog

Dogs and humans as different as they are from one another possess many similar qualities and desires in life. It is human nature to want to be recognized for a job well done. It is also important that we have some sort of incentive besides the sheer joy of working at our daily jobs. Really, if it wasn’t for that pay check, the occasional recognition and perhaps a bonus here and there; would we want to continue to return to our place of employment and strive to work harder. Humans as well as dogs thrive on rewards. Rewards give us a positive association and an all round good feeling about the activities we involuntarily participate in. Notice I said involuntarily. For instance, we wouldn’t need to be rewarded for eating ice cream or going to a party; just like a dog probably would not need to be rewarded for eating a cookie or getting a belly rub (unless of course your dog can’t stand these activities). When introducing a behavior to your dog that he or she does not find naturally rewarding like lying down on command, heeling only on the left side of you or perhaps if you want to get complicated, weaving in and out of poles, it is most necessary to reward the dog for doing so to increase the likelihood that they will want to offer this behavior in the future. The rewards we choose for our dogs, however, must be of great value. Countless times in the classes I have taught have I come across handlers offering their dogs pieces of dry, bland, less than desirable treats. Bear in mind the situation; a beginners agility class held in a cow barn with about 15 other dogs and handlers in the room. The dog is being asked to enter a dark tunnel; for what? A piece of card board? Suddenly, I would whip out a piece of eye round steak or some roasted chicken; all attention was on me!! (ok the steak) Point being, the likely hood of the dog wanting to even poke his head in the dark tunnel has increased tremendously all because the value of the reward has been raised.

Motivation and knowing what that motivation is for a particular dog is a powerful tool. Going back to the time when I was training my golden, Brandie, in agility I was under the impression that she would perform my chosen activity for her as well and as fearless as her sister Holly. I was sorely mistaken. Brandie was a thinker and a very cautious dog. Regardless of how much she loved being with me and her immense desire to please me; wanted no parts of climbing an a-frame or going down ward on the slope of a teeter totter. Brandie wasn’t really even interested in running all that much. I knew what motivated Holly was not working for Brandie and I needed to figure out her passion. I soon discovered it one evening as I was preparing dinner and I noticed the drool oozing from Brandie’s mouth. Italian sausage was the winner! I cut it up into tiny little pieces. mixing in some large pieces as well. We went to the back yard and I ran as fast as I could, as did Brandie. Never did I see my pokey little Golden so motivated and so excited to want to run. I added some jumps and a tunnel. Bingo!! That night we went to class and even though Brandie was hesitant in completing the a-frame or the teeter totter, her approach to these obstacles was more than exciting. She knew in order to receive her valuable reward she would have to at least take steps in completing these obstacles, where as before, she would avoid even an approach to these things. I was more than pleased with her performance so this made me want to find more things that Brandie valued; not just food. I soon brought her favorite toys to class. Squeakers were her fancy. Long story short; I now have a dog that holds 22 agility titles; all because of positive reinforcement and rewarding her with the things she holds valuable. l

So, how can you tempt your dog? That is for you to find out. Here are some suggestions:
Food Motivated: real food works best- steak, roasted chicken, turkey sausage, cheese, veggies steamed in beef or chicken broth, liver worst, home made fresh treats like liver or salmon brownies. The key is smell. If it smells strong and good your dog will want to work for it!!
For the hard core retriever: Balls, Balls, Balls!!!

For the prey driven: a stuffed animal, wave it in front of them then hide it away and pull out when desired behavior is achieved. It’s a hoot to watch them tug at it or shake it in their mouths (Brandie likes this as well) A “DROP IT” COMMAND MUST BE LEARNED WITH THIS REWARD USUALLY A STRONG SMELLING TREAT WILL HELP WITH THE RELEASE.
For the Lover dog: Allowing them to jump up on you or perhaps lots of petting and rubs.
Other creative unconventional rewards: car rides, sofa time, cuddling in bed, social time with friends after holding a stay. Breakfast and dinner ask for a wait then release!!

Activities, food and objects just like in the human world are valuable to a dog. All dogs are different just like people. What one likes the other may not. It is up to you ( the human) to find out what makes your dog tick and use these rewards as a payment plan towards all the wonderful things you can teach your dog; all good things.
“ No free lunch policy”
We all love our dogs; there is no question there. The love you feel is free to your dog and we can show them in many ways that they are loved; but there are times that a dog must earn rewards only for good behavior. In order to keep the rewards valuable, they must be earned. If things were free in life we probably wouldn’t appreciate them as much. Think of it like teaching a child the value of a dollar. Dogs actually enjoy this policy more than you think; it is a healthy game which gives them more purpose and balance than if they were to have all the free resources available to them.

So if you have a dog that you think they just won’t listen or perhaps they do not like a certain activity or they are not offering the behavior you want; the question you need to ask your dog is “how can I tempt you?”

Best of luck and well wishes, hope this advice has brought you a little more “good dogma”!!