Crib Notes: How to Reward and Reinforce

The crib note series are designed to help you understand the basic terms and offer explanations designed to help dog owners understand the theories and practices behind positive dog training.

Hopefully these quick reference words will help explain some of the more indepth information available to pet owners and novice sport dog trainers.

It is important to understand that everything you do reinforces a dog’s behavior, good or bad. Even when you are watching TV, and ignoring the dog, it is learning.

Energy Level – There should be a stark contrast between the normal play energy and reward energy that you generate. Second, your dog should feel that his actions started the game. If you just play tug, or throw a ball, then you are just bribing your dog. A true reward is something your dog only gets when performing a specific way.

After you’ve been working with your dog your dog will have a dopamine

Don’t Trick Your Dog – Don’t withhold a treat because the dog didn’t meet your expectations. When a dog expects a reinforcement then doesn’t receive it then you are decreasing the dog’s trust. Disappointment