I don't usually get this question. It’s exciting, we are pushing at the boundaries of what can be achieved and it’s happening all around us right now. In addition, many such conversations are full of misinformation because people are not presenting evidence and discussing it.  Fewer and fewer high level trainers are using punishment. Does the dog in your life have a cat in theirs? In addition, dogs often become resistant to punishment so that you need to use greater and greater force to get the same effect. It’s relatively cheap when bought in the econo-saver blocks and it lasts over a week in the refrigerator. “But why not just take a balanced approach” you may say “ reward the good behavior, and use corrections for bad behavior” “What is wrong with just saying NO to your puppy? And I’m struggling with distractions with but hes well trained indoors or in the garden. They believe that people are using food as a management tool, and that the value of food as an effective training tool is strictly limited. I like to use food to train dogs whenever we can for many reasons. That comes after the littermates are already home and the people are feeling understandably … [Read More...]. Toys & Treats ... ensure your dog doesn’t eat the bits of cardboard that fall off. Period. He could lie down, he could wander off, he could stand up. And they are right. Have to keep her on a halti although she has been known to drag us with her. And again, we know in people that fear inhibits learning, so perhaps this is not so surprising. I dont understand how to train him around distractions when that’s all hes interested in!! Many are amazed to hear that when the USA guide dog programme switched to positive reinforcement training their pass rate increased from 50 to 80%. I used a combination of classical conditioning and operant conditioning (brush up on those terms here) in several short training sessions with … And that play only last … He enjoys the opportunity to get a little silly (I dare say we all like that opportunity!) Try putting tasty treats inside toys. Filed Under: Clicker Training, Service Dog, Video Tagged With: clicker, dog class, dog friendly, dog obedience, dog training, Frederick, puppy class, puppy training, Smart Dog, training with food, training with play, training without food, training without treats, Should you get littermates? Behaviors need to be maintained in the long term by the applications of controlled consequences. There is a huge amount of confusion over the use of food in dog training. One example of this includes using high-value treats to get the dog’s attention. Your dog can also experience behavior changes such as moodiness, lethargic, aggression, restlessness and whimpering. does your dog have a favorite treat, game, toy that he’ll work really hard for? The solution: I happened upon a solution while I was in the yard working on his loose leash walking skills. At the exact time you say ‘sit’ your dog is using his muscles to reverse a sit. Instinct. Look at the difference! Our bond is so strong now. She may even carry a stuffed toy around and treat it like a puppy. What happens in situations when training treats don’t work? Both are effective ways of getting a trained response from a dog, if applied consistently and in an appropriate structured way. So why change now? Attach this toy to a light line, string or lead that is about 3 meters long (about 10 … How to find a puppy and raise a happy, healthy dog, January 13, 2016 By Pippa Mattinson 10 Comments, Nearly every week someone says to me “Training with food is all very well, but what do you do when food doesn’t work?”. She’ll never go more than about 50 – 100 m from me no matter how distracted (depending on line of sight / cover). They attempt to threaten the dog with punishment “You BAD dog – just wait till I get hold of you!” or they attempt to bribe him with rewards “Look I’ve got sardines, your favourite, look” – or – “come play with this lovely squeaky ball”. Your Dog’s Breed Isn’t Food-Motivated. The evidence from recent studies shows that dogs trained without aversives are less aggressive than dogs trained with them. Check out the evidence in the link above. she won’t stop humping and jumping. If your dog is playing with another dog and you cannot recall him, your recall command has broken down. Play doesn’t always have to involve toys. Meaning that it’ll work great for 15 minutes, then he begins refusing it. Understanding that positive reinforcement training is still possible without food rewards is encouraging me to work harder on rewards she does like such as toys and praise. You will read countless people telling you that control over high drive and distractible dogs, cannot be achieved without using aversives. What is happening in this situation, is that food is being used as a management tool, and not as a training aid. And he sleeps underneath pillows in our bed (which I hate). 2. Try animated or motion toys to get your dog intrigued and involved. Sit down and work on a dog puzzle toy yourself. He refuses chicken. the vet can’t find … It tastes good. If you simply stop rewarding the recall, your dog will gradually lose his reliable recall. your word ‘sit’ or ‘place’. He’s got more pep in his step, I’m getting a lot more steps between rewards, and he’s much more engaged with me. Food can used to create a response to a cue. If you are going to use corrections, you are going to be busy training him not to do all those things. Won’t even consider a dog treat. They usually genuinely believe that positively trained dogs are naughtier, and that by correcting their dogs they are behaving responsibly and helping them to be better canine citizens. Sit down and work on a dog puzzle toy yourself. Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments box below. While some dogs will treat everything as a toy, other dogs just need a little help learning it’s ok to have fun. They are also flawed and if you’ll bear with me, I will explain why. You’ll notice above that I said training with punishment works. she won’t stop humping and jumping. They are our friends. This is because. And even if food was a great management tool (which it isn’t) management is not a good substitute for training. I don’t want to punish her with other training but now she is out of control and wonder if it would be better than nothing as she is a very strong Staffy! He needs more than a 15 minute session. I’m training my field bred lab using positive only methods and it’s working! We have tried lots of trainers and are now at a loss of what to do next. She told me to spray her w water when she got mouthy. Also, go for softer, smellier treats. The reason that food is a terrible management tool is that it is not nearly as exciting for a well-cared for dog, as opportunities to run, chase, and play. They like it and will work hard to earn another tasty tidbit. But it is true, you can teach a dog to sit for example by telling him to sit and then forcing him into a sit, or slapping him rear end if he does not do so. Pippa- you didn’t actually discuss what to do when your dog is not motivated by food? Novelty is stimulating and dogs often get bored with the same familiar 5 block walk, backyard jaunt, same dog friends, people/family, and same dog toys … If you use punishment or force in early training, you’ll need even more punishment or force when proofing against distractions. But it is a fantastic training tool. But in behavioral terms, anything which diminishes behavior, is a punishment. Get your dog interested to come and join … she’s good when we go for a walk or to the woods to run, but at home she is crazy. I realized I was damaging our bond. There is also now plenty of evidence in support of positive reinforcement training, including evidence that positive reinforcement trained dogs are more obedient, not less, than dogs trained with the use of punishment. And this is the theme that runs through all these different terms – whether we say ‘positive’ , ‘positive-only’, or ‘force-free’, we are talking about training without aversives. The reason the that dog owner is attempting to manage the dog’s behaviour with food or punishment is because training has broken down, not because food or punishment doesn’t get dogs trained. And in this, they are wrong. Some have closed minds, but I find many are willing to learn. You can buy cheap, breakable toys and repair or replace them when they get ripped. In other words we are training without hurting, forcing, intimidating or scaring the dog. He's four years old, he has healthy eating habits but he doesn't have much interest in playing. The dog won't engage in play with us but should we leave the room he'd whining to … Let’s face it, we none of us want to punish our dogs. When we pass a house with aggressive dogs, she freezes. So next time you come across this kind of discussion, if you can’t face explaining all over again, drop a link to this page, and suggest they come and take a look at the evidence for themselves. I was directed to this article by a co-worker – invited to ‘read the evidence’ but there isn’t any. I’m willing to find out what works. That questions like the one asked in this title are still being asked, shows how little some dog owners understand about training with food. Your dog is nesting because she believes that she is having puppies. I’m flexible. If a dog is ‘caught up in the moment’ and enjoying himself, dog owners often resort to managing the dog’s behaviour. Obviously a starving dog might respond to your sardine, but you don’t want to starve your dog in order to manage his behavior. Ethical reasons aside (and these are difficult to define as we each have our own idea of what defines mean behaviour, bullying, cruelty and abuse) the evidence tells us that training without force has huge benefits. False pregnancy in dogs occurs to females that are not spayed. She earned a M.A. Positive is a word that is strongly associated with ‘good’ and ‘happy’. If your dog doesn’t like to play with a toy, don’t give up on him. Here are some reasons why many people chose not to punish their dogs. Even mildly. It smells good. Get your dog interested to come and join you. I have tried it, firstly with puppy training and she didn’t improve at all. This makes it impossible to come to any kind of sensible conclusion. Dogs also seem more interest in toys that they can break. If you haven’t made up your mind yet, have a go at teaching your dog a trick without using force or touching him. Shouting and having a tantrum yourself does not help either of you. I think that these assumptions are entirely understandable. in psychology, served as President of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), and is Faculty at Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior. Better food, versus more punishment. The puppy automatically pulls back away from the new object. These are the best dog toys you can buy online, including toys for chewers, non-toxic toys, and toys for puppies from Chewy, Petco, Amazon, and more. our lab was from a home she had lived in more than eight years. Share some of your creative solutions. Positive reinforcement trainers don’t use food to manage their dogs. And usually when we’re walking she’s within 10 – 20 m of me. Before placing blame on the quality of the product, consider the following three things: (1) the dog might frustrated that the treats are not coming out, possibly because there is not enough room for them to push the toy and chase it, (2) the dog instinctively prefers to chew on toys rather than push them around, and … When your dog bolts after a rabbit, or cannot be called away from another dog because he is enjoying his game. As you have probably discovered these types of ‘crisis management’ strategies do not usually work. The takeaway: I’m not going to abandon food in training — there are places where play isn’t appropriate (restaurant, movie theater, doctor’s office to name a few) — but play definitely has a place in Schooner’s training plan. So it’s pretty important to a dog. OK, so now back to the title of this piece – what happens when food lets you down, when this method fails. They are opportunities to spread the word about positive reinforcement training. And the great news is, you DON’T have to do it in order to have a well-trained and highly obedient dog. You are reactive, not proactive. That’s a fancy way of saying “the dog needs it to survive.” Think about it, dogs (or us, for that matter) can’t live without food. Some puppies respond better to toys. It is not uncommon for what started out as mild punishment to escalate until the trainer is actually harming the dog. Games dogs play . Have patience and you will prevail! He is 3 years old, skiddish and shaky, afraid of it's own shadow, will not respond to treats, food or toys. The results: He liked it! I mean, if Schooner doesn’t like it, it’s not a reinforcer. This shouldn’t really come as a shock should it? she will be 10 in september and we just don’t see her slowing down. and it gets him interested in training again. This is essentially untrue, though of course, you could argue that safety restraints such as a harness and leash are aversive. And the reasons that training breaks down are usually a combination of the following. That being the case, why on earth can’t we use corrections/mild punishment in dog training? As above no mention of what to do when your dog isn’t interested in treats. After a few days of tossing treats in the puppy’s … The problem: Schooner tires of cheese relatively quickly. In addition, Laurie raises puppies for a service dog organization, and loved nothing more than to work with her Labrador, Tango, as a certified therapy team. The terms positive and negative in dog training are taken from behavioural science and they are mathematical in origin. I take her on walks every night and to the park. Some dogs have no interest in toys and they don't have any interest in walking. When you train in a more demanding environment, you need stronger consequences to get the required response. the vet can’t find anything wrong. When we talk about positive dog training we are using the word in a different sense. It is interesting to note that animals trained without aversives are also more obedient. I’m training a tiny Yorkie puppy who has NO interest in food rewards (and I’ve tried everything).  Improving his performance incrementally and in easy stages. Try to give your adult dog other things to do, particularly relaxing things like nosework, training games, and impulse control games. It can include: Petting, rubbing, nose or paw targeting; Chasing you; Tricks and training; Sniffing walks; Obstacle training; Toys meet different needs depending on the dog’s play style: Food-dispensing toys There is no point denying this, because people have been doing it successfully for years. It’s all just your opinions. she wiggles so hard when you try to pet her that she ends up huting us. there are benefits to avoiding force in dog training, The answer is a resounding yes. Newman compared it to childhood learning. Many positive reinforcement trainers skip around this bit. Just because your dog will sit when you say ‘sit’ in your kitchen does not mean he is capable of sitting on command, when you take him to watch your son play football on a Saturday morning. Dog training is a lot like the beautiful martial art … The only time he's interested in playing is after he eats a meal. Simply because there is no consensus as to what is meant by the terms being bandied about. We ave tried all of the above suggestions and more with our 2 year old Newfoundland who runs to other people or dogs when we are out. Thanks! Let’s take a closer look. Won’t take treats indoors let alone outdoors? If your dog doesn’t break his dog toys, then you are one of the few dog owners who can skip a chew toy. In order to discuss the pros and cons of any method, or technique, it is important that we first agree on what defines that method. A speaker at local and national educational events, Laurie is forever open to learning. When you call your puppy and he wants to play with his new friends more than he wants the piece of cheese in your hand?”. Burying valuable items is an instinctual throwback to the survival skills … Rewards can be faded to some extent, but never eliminated entirely. Usually, there is only one way to get it right. I realized I was totally using food as a lure. Just make sure to only let your dog play with … The dog’s owner is trying to use food as a bribe or lure, to draw the dog away from an activity that he is thoroughly enjoying. The reason that physical force delays learning is to do with the muscle groups that the dog is using when you apply the ‘cue’ i.e.