petting as reinforcement
One question that trainers are often asked is if food treats must be used as the reinforcer. Some dogs do not like treats. There may be a time when you don’t have treats with you. Perhaps you just want to add variety to your training routine. The good news is that non-food reinforcers, such as petting or praise, can be just as powerful as food treats for some dogs—this type of reinforcement doesn’t require anything except you and your dog!
In this video, KPA CTP Ali Sutch and her dog Minnow are getting ready for a hike. As many dogs do, Minnow is avoiding the harness by backing away. Ali uses petting to reward Minnow’s avoidance behavior, increasing the chances of her saying “yes” when she is asked for the behavior next. After several attempts and petting sessions, Minnow is ready to have her harness put on!
Learn all about using non-food reinforcement effectively in Ken Ramirez's online course Smart Reinforcement!
THINK OUTSIDE OF THE TREAT POUCH
Ken Ramirez shows you how to use non-food reinforcers effectively in the step-by-step online course, Smart Reinforcement.
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