Reward training is often seen as the most modern method of
training a dog, but reward training is probably much older than
other methods of dog training. It is possible that reward
training for dogs has been around as long as there have been
dogs to train. Early humans probably used some informal kind of
reward training when taming the wolf pups that eventually
evolved into modern dogs.
Many principles of modern reward training date back many
decades. However, what is called reward training today has only
enjoyed is remarkable popularity for the past 10 or 15 years.
Many reward training enthusiasts are less enthusiastic about
other methods of dog training, such as the traditional leash and
collar method. However, the best approach to training any
individual dog is often a combination of leash/collar training
and reward training.
In addition, a training method that works perfectly for one dog
may be totally inappropriate for another, and vice versa. Some
dogs respond wonderfully to reward training and not at all to
leash and collar training, while others respond to leash/collar
training and are not at all motivated by reward training. Most
dogs fall somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
Clicker training is one of the most popular forms of reward
training these days. While clicker training is not the answer
for every dog, it can be a remarkably effective method of
training many dogs. In clicker training, the dog is taught to
associate a clicking sound with a reward, like a treat. The
trainer clicks the clicker when the dog does something good,
followed immediately by a treat. Eventually, the dog learns to
respond to the clicker alone.
Most reward training uses some sort of food reward, or a reward
that is associated with getting food. In most cases, complex
behaviors can only be taught using this kind of positive
reinforcement, and you will find that the people who train dogs
for movies and television use reward training almost exclusively.
Reward training is used in all forms of dog training, including
police work and military applications. Most scent detection,
tracking and police dogs are trained using some form of reward
training. Reward training is also a very effective way to teach
many basic obedience commands.
Reward training often incorporates the use of a lure in order
to get the dog into the position desired by the trainer. The
lure is used to get the dog to perform the desired behavior on
his or her own and of his or her own free will.
It makes a great deal of sense to get the dog to perform the
desired behavior without any physical intervention on the part
of the handler. Getting the dog to perform a behavior without
being touched is important.
After the dog has performed the desired behavior, it is given a
reward, also called a positive reinforcement. Treats are often
used as reinforcers, but praise, such as "good dog" or a pat on
the head, can also be effective rewards.
Making a dog that has been reward trained a reliable dog is
important, especially when the dog has an important job, like
police work or drug detection, to do. For that reason it is
important to get the dog accustomed to working around
distractions, and to properly socialize the animal to both
people and other animals.
Many dog trainers make the mistake of only training the dog
inside the house or back yard, and only when the handler is
there. In order to become a reliably trained companion, the dog
must be taken outside the confines of its safety zone and
introduced to novel situations.
It is also important to teach the dog to pay attention to the
handler at all times. Having the attention of the dog means
having control of the dog. Reward training is very effective at
getting the respect and the attention of the dog when used
properly.
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