Your dog will decide what is reinforcing - not you

Your dog will decide what is reinforcing to them. Not you.

The reinforcement will change depending on the environment & the task being asked.

Put that into humans terms for a moment …. If you ask me to sit at the Dining Table (easy task and I can easily achieve that!) and then you offered me a brussel sprout on my dinner pate as my reward then I would totally accept your challenge ….. Sit at the table = brussel sprout …. DEAL!

However, if you increase the difficulty of the task then you will need to increase the level of the reinforcement.

You don't think I'd run around the block 5 times for a brussel sprout, do you??!! NO DEAL!

But I might do it for a cash sum, some chocolate biscuits and a cream cake!

The task got harder but you've increased the level of reinforcement so we still have a deal.

For your dog, an easy task like SIT in an easy environment like their living room will properly get you a DEAL for a piece of kibble or a gravy bone.

Ask that same dog to do a SIT in the middle of a field, surrounded by other dogs & new smells (much harder task!) then you will need to increase the level of reinforcement to reflect the task being asked - now you'll need a piece of hot dog or a slice of ham to get a DEAL …

Positive Reinforcement works.

It works for all of us.

Every single one of us do things which we are reinforced for every single day.

*You get up in the morning and go to work because you are reinforced by your monthly salary.

*You put petrol in you car because you are reinforced by the pleasure of driving instead of walking.

*You que up in the Supermarket because you are reinforced by the feeling of having full cupboards at home.

*You take your dog out for a walk because you are reinforced by the love, the bond & the knowledge that you are a good, responsible dog owner …

The point is …. The person (or dog) receiving the reinforcer will decide what is rewarding NOT the person offering it.

Learning should be fun for the Learner.

If the learner isn't enjoying the learning then the teacher needs to make some changes ….