“Treats,” “food,” “sweets,” we often use food rewards because we want to spoil or encourage the good behavior of our dog. Let me give you some tips to use rewards properly.
What is a reward?
Whatever he likes! Food, a toy, a word, a caress. A reward is simply something the dog wants to get. Every dog is different and it is important to recognize your best friend’s preferences.
How to recognize the value of your reward?
Depending on the situation, the value of the reward may vary. For example, if your dog likes to run after your cat and you command him to “stay” if he listens you will you tell him “good dog” or offer him an enticing treat or even pull out a toy to play with him? We often make the mistake of offering something less interesting than the behavior we find disturbing.
Why reward our dogs?
Because a dog does not reproduce any behavior that is not profitable. If you do not use a reward to encourage good behavior, you may have the reflex to punish bad behavior and often this type of method does not always discourage behaviors that you want to see stopped in addition to causing anxiety to our companions.
Is rewarding always necessary?
Yes, because it is utopian to believe that your dog will “listen” to please you. Your dog responds to your requests to get or avoid something. However, the same type of reward is not always essential in all situations.
Should the reward be cut off?
Yes of course! We have to reward everything and then less and less often. It is wrong to believe that we will always have to give something to the dog, but we must remind him once in a while that good behavior could be rewarded.
In closing, we now know that we learn more from our success rather than our mistakes. All the more reason to encourage your dog’s good behavior and thus develop a strong relationship with him for many years.
