Some of you may know what a reward marker is and how they work. For those of you who don't, reward marker(s) are a crucial component in developing our communication system for training. it's important to understand that if the conditioning process is done correctly, your dog is not CHOOSING to respond to the marker(s), but rather develops an INVOLUNTARY response to the marker(s).
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These tips below will NOT work by themself with a dog who is already displaying avoidance behaviors of certain equipment. These tips are meant for a piece of new equipment your dog has not experienced yet.
#1 - Try to avoid moving the piece of equipment into your dog and trying to put it on them right away. When we move into our dogs, this will pressure them to move away from the piece of equipment, often resulting in a game of "catch me if you can". Instead, take your time teaching your dog that moving into the piece of equipment results in something good. This can be done in various ways but the important factor is that your dog wants to wear the piece of equipment rather than run away from it.
#2 - When using a new piece of equipment, you should try to avoid using it right away for its intended use. Such as a collar, there should always be a habituation period where your dog is wearing the collar without going for a walk (it's intended use). Instead having the collar on with the leash dangling while playing with your dog, or while giving them a bone, or other activities they enjoy allows your dog to become comfortable with that collar and leash, helping themb ignore it before it's used on a walk.
Meet Harley! These are some short clips of our training progression over a short period. She has been so much fun to work with!
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Handing a treat to your dog is great, but it is most often going to be less rewarding and less motivating than more dynamic food rewards, especially when dealing with complex behaviors.
These are 3 simple ways to increase the value of your food rewards, increasing motivation for the behavior that precedes the reward.
Don't be afraid to try new things with your food rewards, making them more dynamic and exciting will create much more attentiveness and willingness to learn from your dog 🐶🙂
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