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"Reward Training Techniques - Why Using Treats Is The Easiest Way To Get Your Dog to Listen To You!"
Many dog training techniques use what is termed reward training. This type of puppy behaviour training is often considered the most modern method of training a dog, but the reality is that dog training using a reward as motivation is probably much older than any other method of pet training.
Many principles of modern reward training date back decades. However, what is called reward dog training today has only enjoyed its remarkable popularity for the past 10 or 15 years.
Many reward dog behaviour training enthusiasts are less enthusiastic about other methods of dog training, such as the traditional leash and collar training method. However, the best approach to training your pet is often a combination of leash/collar training and reward training.
A behaviour training method that works perfectly for one dog may be totally inappropriate for another, and vice versa. Some dogs respond wonderfully to reward training and not at all to leash and collar training, while others respond to leash and collar training but are not at all motivated by reward training. Most dogs fall somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
Clicker training is one of the most popular forms of reward training. While clicker training is not the answer for every dog, it can be a remarkably effective method of training many dogs. In clicker training, the dog is taught to associate a clicking sound with a reward, like a treat. Eventually, the dog learns to respond to the clicker alone.
Most reward training uses some sort of food reward, or a reward that is associated with getting food. In most cases, complex behaviors can only be taught using this kind of positive reinforcement, and you will find that the people who train dogs for movies and television use reward training almost exclusively.
The lure of a reward is a very effective way to teach many basic dog obedience commands. Using the anticipation of a reward many dog trainers are able to get the dog into the positions desired by the dog trainer or perform the desired behavior on his or her own. After the dog has performed the desired behavior, it is given a reward, also called a positive reinforcement. It makes a great deal of sense to train your dog to perform the desired behavior without any physical intervention on the part of the handler. Eventually you want to train your pet to perform a behavior without being touched.
Making a dog that has been reward trained a reliable dog is essential, especially when the dog has an important job, like police work or drug detection, to do. For that reason it is important to get the dog accustomed to working around distractions, and to properly socialize the animal to both people and other animals.
Reward training is very effective at getting the respect and the attention of the dog when used properly. Treats are often used as reinforcers, but praise, such as “good dog” or a pat on the head, can also be effective dog training rewards.
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