Give Your Dog A Raise!
You can thank Don of Running Dogs for coining this phrase! (Definitely check out the hashtag #giveyourdogaraise on social media, it’s adorable.) Variety is the spice of life. You may be in the habit using food rewards in training and maintaining behaviors, and that’s already amazing, but this year consider taking it to the next level.
If you’re working around bigger distractions, asking for more physically or emotionally challenging behaviors, or are starting to see a specific skill decline, consider upping your reward value. We’re not talking just switching from chicken jerky to duck jerky. We’re talking meatballs, tripe paste, pizza crust, goat cheese, sirloin steak, cheeseburgers! Whatever will get your dog doing backflips! (If you’re not sure if something it okay to feed your dog, consult with your veterinarian! We’re trainers, not vets or nutritionists.)
Reinforcement drives behavior. Using food in training can be such a powerful tool, and using really high-value food can be an amazing way to get the spark back in your training. Remember that it’s all about establishing a reinforcement history, and that you don’t have to from this point forward always always have prime rib in your pockets. As much as you might want your dog to listen to you “just because,” that’s just not how behavior works! If we want reliable and enthusiastic behavior from our dogs, we need to teach them that it’s well worth their time to listen to us even with a whole world of other reinforcers around them. Think about how much motivation you feel working for $1 versus working for $100; you’re likely to be much more enthusiastic and putting in much more extra effort when working for that higher paycheck.
Less is more with really high-value treats! If you’re working on recall out on a hike or decompression walk, for instance, try not to get into the habit of calling your dog every 30 seconds. Even if you’re rewarding each time, your dog probably doesn’t love being frequently interrupted. You’re better off preparing a few helpings of your extra-special reward and only calling your dog 2-3 times with massive payment for listening to each repetition. Offering kibble twenty times in a row probably won’t have the same impact on their memory as offering an entire In-N-Out hamburger patty for one killer recall.
Does your dog have allergies or other dietary restrictions? Fear not, you can still give them your own version of a raise using Kathy Sdao’s SMART x 50 (See Mark and Reinforce Training) approach! Simply count out 50 pieces of kibble (or whatever type of food reward they can have), set it aside, and watch your dog. Any time you see them doing something you like, say “yes!” or “good!” and feed them a treat. Are they chewing on an appropriate bone or toy? Reward! Are they curled up on their bed? Reward! Are they watching a squirrel through the window without barking? Reward! Without having to do a formal training session, your dog will begin to learn that certain behaviors really pay off, and you’ll notice they start doing them more often.
We often get asked “When will I be able to stop using treats?” and the answer is that ideally we NEVER stop using food as reinforcement. Even when our dogs are well-behaved, there is always something they can do to impress us. We should always have some sneaky paycheck in our pockets waiting to reinforce amazing behaviors!
What kind of raise are you giving your dog this year? Definitely share with us on social media by tagging us and using the hashtag #giveyourdogaraise!