In a video demo, KPA CTP Sarah Dugger illustrates the process of teaching her dog, Sophie, to discriminate between the nose target and paw target cues. Initially, she dedicated separate training sessions to instill proficiency in each target behavior. The first session focused on teaching the nose target behavior using a spatula as the target; that session was followed by another dedicated session for a paw targeting the spatula. Once both behaviors were well established, she continued to use the spatula as the target but alternated between requests for a nose target and a paw target. Throughout this process, she reinforced the behavior of patiently waiting for the cue in the presence of the target.

In the video, Sarah explains the rationale behind reinforcing waiting, noting that the history of positive reinforcement for offering the behaviors makes waiting an essential skill for error-free training sessions. Like Sarah and Sophie, when you establish a solid foundation of cue discrimination, your dog not only learns to respond accurately but also develops the patience and understanding that are needed for seamless training experiences.

For more training tips check out our KPA blogs. If you want to enhance your understanding of modern, effective, positive dog training, build a stronger bond with your dog, or take the next step toward a fulfilling career as a dog trainer, our Dog Trainer courses will support you every step of the way. 

Happy Training!