Training with Positive Reinforcement

To effectively teach your dog a command, you must immediately acknowledge and reward the correct behaviour. This recognition should occur within 1-2 seconds to ensure your dog makes the connection and learns properly. Positive reinforcement techniques, such as using a clicker or your voice along with a treat or toy, are key to successful training.

• Benefits of Positive Reinforcement:

  • Emotional Connection: Using positive reinforcement makes your dog feel happy and reinforces those positive emotions when responding to commands in the future. This strengthens your bond and builds trust.

  • Behavioural Improvement: Positive reinforcement can help alleviate underlying negative feelings that may cause problem behaviours.

  • Trust and Obedience: Unlike force or pain, which may yield short-term results but damage trust, positive reinforcement fosters a cooperative relationship where your dog listens because they trust and enjoy working with you.

  Reward Options:

  • Food treats

  • Attention and praise

  • Toys

  • Cuddles

  • Games

  Each dog has unique preferences, so it's essential to discover what motivates your dog the most.

  Understanding Self-Reinforcing Behaviours:

  • Self-Rewarding Actions: Dogs may exhibit unwanted behaviours that are self-rewarding or create high arousal, which becomes rewarding in itself, even if the behaviour isn’t successful.

  • Continuous Learning: Dogs are always learning, even when you aren’t actively training them. Be mindful of inadvertently reinforcing undesirable behaviours.

  By focusing on positive reinforcement and being aware of your dog’s continuous learning process, you can cultivate a well-behaved, happy, and trusting companion. If you need further guidance on training techniques, feel free to get in touch!