Dog Training

Successful training for your dog: the Positive Reinforcement Method

Positive reinforcement training is widely accepted among dog training experts as the most effective and humane way to train your dog. A fancy phrase for what’s essentially a very simple theory: positive reinforcement entails rewarding the good behavior, and ignoring bad behavior. This method is in direct contrast to some of the now-outdated but once-popular techniques for dog training, some of which were frankly abhorrent: physical pain and intimidation (such as hanging an aggressive dog up by her collar), or inhumane methods of aversion therapy (such as shock collars for barking).

Positive reinforcement works with your dog. Her natural instinct is to please you. The theory of positive reinforcement recognizes that lessons are more meaningful for dogs, and tend to “stick” more, when a dog is able to figure out what you’re asking under her own steam (as opposed to, say, learning “down” by being forced repeatedly into a prone position, while the word “down” is repeated at intervals). When you use positive reinforcement training, you’re allowing her the time and the opportunity to use her own brain.

Some ways for you to facilitate the training process:

Use meaningful rewards

Dogs get bored pretty quickly with a “good girl” and a routine pat on the head (and, in fact, most dogs don’t even like being patted on the head. Watch and notice their expressions and how most will shy away when a hand descends towards their head). Use tempting incentives for good behavior to keep the quality of your dog’s learning at a high standard. Physical affection and food treats are what dog trainers refer to as “primary incentives”, in other words, they’re both significant rewards that most dogs respond powerfully and reliably to.

Use the right timing

When your dog obeys a command, you must mark the behavior that you’re going to reward so that, when she gets that treat in her mouth, she understands exactly what behavior it was that earned her the reward. Some people use a small metal sound-making device, known as a clicker, which “clicks” when pressed. The clicker is clicked at the exact moment that a dog performs the desired behavior (so, if asking a dog to sit, you’d click the clicker just as the dog’s bottom hits the ground). You can also use your voice: just saying “Yes!” in a happy, excited tone works perfectly. Make sure that you give her the treat after the marker, and remember to be consistent. If you only say “Yes!” or use the clicker sometimes, it won’t have any meaning when you do do it; she needs the opportunity to learn what that marker means (i.e., that she’s done something right whenever she hears the marker, and a treat will be forthcoming very shortly). So be consistent with your marker.

How to reward your dog meaningfully

All dogs have their favorite treats and preferred demonstrations of physical affection. Some dogs will perform for a turkey jerky; other prefer to be rewarded with a game of fetch, or through some physical affection from you.

The best ways to stroke your dog: most dogs really like having their chests rubbed or scratched having; the base of the tail scratched gently is usually a winner, too. You can also target the ears: gently rub the ear flap between your thumb and finger, or scratch gently at the base.

As far as food is concerned, it’s not hard to figure out what your dog likes: just experiment with different food treats until you find one that she really goes nuts for. When it comes to food, trainers have noted an interesting thing: dogs actually respond most reliably to training commands when they receive treats sporadically, instead of predictably. Intermittent treating seems to keep dogs on their toes, and more interested in what might be on offer – it prevents them from growing tired of the food rewards, and from making a conscious decision to forego a treat.

How to correct your dog meaningfully

The great thing about positive reinforcement training is that it doesn’t require you to do anything that might go against the grain. When it comes to positive reinforcement training, all you have to do is ignore the behavior that you don’t wish to see repeated. Not getting any attention is enough to make just about any dog pretty miserable, and thus is a powerful correctional tool. The bigger the fuss you make over her when she does get it right, the clearer the connection will be between a particular behavior(s) eliciting no response at all, but other behaviors (the right response) eliciting massive amounts of positive attention from you.