If you want to reward your dog and not to cause any harm by doing so, you need to take it responsibly and think about it. It doesn’t matter if it is about a treat, caressing, compliment or a game.
For most dogs, positive motivation works. You can have brilliant results with it in obedience or practising new tricks. It doesn’t matter how you decide to reward your dog or if you change the types of rewards. It isn’t probably a surprise that the most common reward is a treat. Caressing, a favourite toy, a short game or a simple compliment and showing you’re happy might also work well.
With regard to treats, the most important thing in order not to mess with your dog’s health is to pick suitable treats. Your dog might be very obedient if you have a pocket full of bacon or biscuits but you might cause obesity or other health problems to your dog because of this. Fortunately, there are many healthy dog treats and even treats specifically designed for training on the market nowadays.
A treat pouch is practical for treats. When you have the right rewards prepared in it, you can start with training. However, you need to remember that not only the form of a reward but also its timing is very important. It has to come immediately after doing the requested task and the dog needs to know why it got the treat. A clicker might be great for this as you can do this signal even from a distance. You can read here about how to work with it.
It also needs to be mentioned that rewards shouldn’t be regular. It’s very appropriate to change it. And it doesn’t matter if you change the kind of reward or just a kind of treat. It needs to be unpredictable for the dog and therefore more attractive. The size of the reward should also equal to what we ask the dog for. So, if it obeys your command “Sit”, the reward won’t be the same as for catching prey.
Regular rewards are good for the stage of explaining and learning. And when the dogs know the commands well and definitely knows what you want it to do, it is time for variable rewards. The expectation provides the dog with the necessary energy, increases its activity and even releases dopamine.
For some dogs, even the activity itself might be a reward. It mainly applies to sports during which adrenaline is released (e.g. jumping within agility). This is because adrenaline is an addictive substance and the dog can easily become addicted to it. However, this might be also harmful if it crosses a certain line. If the dog rewards itself by doing a certain activity, we lose control over it and it loses its concentration. See the videos of dogs that run across the playground after agility like crazy. :)
For the end, remember that a dog should always exercise with joy. If it isn’t in the mood or the activity bores it, take a break. Do not force your dog to do any task. If it is needed, find a way to make training more attractive for it. It might be rewards, the environment or also inviting another dog companion to join you.
Dog obedience is a big topic not only among dog owners, but also outside the community. A dog that does not obey the commands of his owner can be a big problem. Therefore, every dog should undergo at least basic training. The level of training then,...
Cats love fresh air. At least most of them do. However, not all of them have the opportunity to enjoy freedom in nature. Especially cats living in cities spend a lot of time indoors without the opportunity to run freely. That is why cat owners may...
It is a well-known fact that every dog likes to play. However, not all dog owners use the option of interactive toys. These toys, in addition to being fun and an outlet for energy, also offer the possibility of development. They have a positive effect...
Our pets are often members of our families, so it goes without saying that we want to give them the same privileges and comforts as anyone else. Although we couldn’t imagine it in the beginning, our canine companions follow us everywhere. On the...
We usually want only the best for our pets. That is why we often look for ways to improve their quality of life and make sure to support their health as much as possible. We feed them with the best on the market, include regular walks and activities...
In this next part of our series dedicated to dogfrisbee, an activity where the dog is thrown a disc, which he then catches and brings back, we focus on the discipline of Dogdartbee. This discipline comes from the Netherlands and its main essence is...
Like dogs, even cats may have therapeutic effects on patients. This treatment method is called felinotherapy and is suitable for both chronically ill patients, who may need help with coping, and those who suffer from long-term stress. Cats can bring...
Rabbits are popular pets, especially with children. They are cute and like to be petted. It’s good to know, however, that there is a wide range of rabbit breeds. There are even giant breeds, which require slightly different care than dwarf breeds. We...
There are a number of dog breeds that fall into the giant category. We may know and see a lot of them. How do these dogs differ from the mid-sized or even smaller breeds? And what do they need in terms of nutrition, raising and home? On this topic, we...
Sharing a home with a puppy is a great joy as well as worry. Especially if you have no previous experience with a dog or other domestic animal. Before getting a puppy, you should take into account a number of things, think about them carefully and...
Dogsled races are fascinating events. For the dogs and the mushers, these are challenging activities for which they need to prepare properly not only physically but also mentally. The races are not just about performance, but especially about stamina...
Thai cats originate from Siam, today’s Thailand, and came to Europe in the 1880s, then under the name Royal Cats of Siam. However, the whole process of recognition of the breed and its breeding is a complex matter. Around the 1930s, two currents...
