BEHAVIOUR
Reward-based Training: What Is It & How to Use It Effectively?
Reward-based canine training methods help train dogs more effectively as well as improve your relationship with them. Read on to learn more.
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As we bring them into our homes, proper training for dogs becomes an indispensable part of our relationship with them. It helps establish a clear and stable platform of interspecies communication between us and our dogs. And as our relationship with them grows and changes, so do the tools & techniques we use for training.
As a proactive parent, you may have already come across various schools of thought when it comes to training for dogs. Positive reinforcement or Reward-based training is one such school of thought that is increasingly gaining popularity and merit in the canine training world. Positive Reinforcement Training works on the very simple principle of rewarding and praising good behaviours that our dogs exhibit, the very moment they exhibit them, in order to encourage repetition of the same. And undesirable behaviours are usually ignored, or rather deprived of attention & feedback instead of punishing the dogs for it. Sounds simple enough, right? Let’s dive in to learn more!
As a proactive parent, you may have already come across various schools of thought when it comes to training for dogs. Positive reinforcement or Reward-based training is one such school of thought that is increasingly gaining popularity and merit in the canine training world. Positive Reinforcement Training works on the very simple principle of rewarding and praising good behaviours that our dogs exhibit, the very moment they exhibit them, in order to encourage repetition of the same. And undesirable behaviours are usually ignored, or rather deprived of attention & feedback instead of punishing the dogs for it. Sounds simple enough, right? Let’s dive in to learn more!
Why should I choose reward-based training compared to any other methods out there?
- Reward-based training helps us build a stronger, better bond with our dogs as even the training process is paired with things or activities the dog finds rewarding.
- Reward-based training helps us raise well-balanced dogs that learn to understand human communication, without the need for harsh tools or punishments.
- It also helps build your dog’s trust in your leadership and guidance. They are more and more willing to do as told, without being coerced into it.
- This method helps make training for dogs fun and stress-free!! Why should a round of training be any less exciting than a game of play?
Will my dog only listen when I have treats in my hand?
- No! Even though you may initially use abundant treats to guide your dog to perform the desired behaviour and to continue reinforcing it, over time, you should be able to wean your dog off the treats and replace them with other randomised rewards.
- Some of these rewards could be your dog’s favourite toys or games they like to play, their favourite human’s attention, or even fun abstract things they like such as going for a walk, digging, sniffing (natural behaviours), etc.
- It is, however, important to experiment with your dog and figure out what things they actually find rewarding.
I was punished as a child for bad behaviour, why should it be any different for my dog?
- Using forms of punishment such as physical punishment or the use of harsh tools can severely damage the trust your dog has in you and affect the relationship you share with your dog.
- It can lead to your dog questioning your judgement and your leadership.
- Using harsh tools can also lead to several behavioural issues in your dog such as resource guarding or aggression.
- Moreover, it is quite likely that your dog will slowly develop resistance to the harsh punishments we may be using without effectively discouraging the behaviour.
- In Reward-based canine training, we can still use different methods to correct the behaviour that does not require harsh measures such as time-offs, deprivation of attention or holding back something they find rewarding, etc.
Positive reinforcement training paves way for a stronger relationship.
How will my dog know he has done something wrong if I don't punish him?
- The “Alpha Dog Theory” that governed a lot of previous, archaic, traditional methods has been long disproven. When we get our dogs home, we are looking for a loving and trustworthy companion…and our dogs are looking for much the same.
- Instead of wanting to be the alpha or dominating our dogs in order to get good behaviour, Reward-based canine training encourages them to look at you as a role model, because they quickly realise following what you ask of them gets them rewards!
- By exhibiting the very behaviour, we want to see in our dogs for them, we can teach them to trust us and look up to you for guidance, at the end of the day.
Okay, I am sold. Tell me how the rewarding system works.
- When you are rewarding your dog for learning a new command, praise and reward them for every small progress they make.
- When it comes to rewarding, timing is key! Mark and reward them as soon as they exhibit the desired behaviour.
- Training for dogs should be a fun & exciting event to look forward to. So, keep your sessions short, with no more than 20 minutes of engagement in a day. End your training session before it becomes tedious for your dog to ensure that they actually look forward to the next session!
- It is important to have clear communication with your puppy so do not fall into the habit of repeating or yelling your commands, over and over again. Be clear as water when it comes to your body language. Make a sad or stern face when they do something you don't like. Be happy if they do something good!
- Don't be frustrated if your puppy takes time or makes mistakes! Just take a step back and start again.
- Set up for success! Remove any distractions in your environment, have treats that you know will work for your puppy and get your puppy on a leash if you think they will have a hard time focusing on you.
- Be interesting and keep it fun: Be the weirdo your dog thinks you are! Play around in between rounds of training, use all the weird noises your mother once forbade you from making in your childhood, use toys or don't use toys!
Does your dog look forward to working and learning new commands with you? How do you keep training exciting and fun for your dogs? Let us know in the comments below! Happy Parenting!
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