One of our videos got a little traction this week on Tik Tok and we were fortunate to have quite a few people comment. Most were lovely, just hearts and admiration for Torque, Hope’s French Bulldog. It’s always nice when somebody else thinks your dog is as wonderful as you do. But there were also more than a few that implied his only motivation was the treats. And challenging us to “prove” he can do it without rewards. “Try it without treats” they said.
A different perspective
We know that Torque would play training games just for the fun of it. Would he be as eager? Probably not. And how would we communicate to him when he’s right? And when he’s not?
One of the first things we tell all our trainees is “Dogs learn by the timing and placement of rewards.” We say it early and often. Those rewards give your dog the immediate feedback: “Yes! That was good!” Withholding the rewards tells your dog “That’s not quite it. Try again.”
Many people seem to think that praise should be sufficient reward or motivation. Let’s put that in perspective.
For example: you have a great job in a great place with terrific colleagues. Everything about your job is great. Is a pat on the back from your boss sufficient reward? It’s really nice, but don’t you still want a paycheck?
Proving it to who?
Our response when challenged to create a video without using rewards was: Why should we?
The person came back with “To prove you can do it.”
To whom? And why? We’re not claiming that Torque is unique among dogs. Our goal is to encourage everyone to play training games with their own dogs. Because every single dog loves doing it. And everybody, dogs and people alike, has fun.
The challenge is seeing what your dog can do. Dogs have favorite games, just like people. Some dogs learn Puppy Push-ups in a week. Their 3-Step Pattern Walking takes no time at all. But they just can’t get the hang of “Place!” Or “Stay!”
The only opinion that matters
When you play training games and teach your dog only with reward-based training, there will be loads of people who “know a better, faster way.”
It’s absolutely true that punishment-based training is faster. Dogs learn quickly how to avoid pain. If you’re okay with hurting your dog to achieve quick compliance, there are lots of trainers who teach “yank and crank” methods. But not in this space. And not in our classes.
No treats allowed
There are no treats or rewards allowed during dog sport competitions. You can’t bring anything into the competition ring but your dog. For those few minutes of judging, the dog gets no “reward” other than your smile.
If you’ve built sufficient value in the process, your dog will do what you ask. Just partnering with you, doing familiar, fun things will be enough. And, when your time in the competition ring is over, you can run over to your trial set-up and give your wonderful dog the jackpot they deserve.
