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Writer's pictureHannah Parrett

Rewarded behaviour is more often seen, or, behaviour that is often seen is being rewarded.

Updated: Mar 7, 2021

We all know the basics of teaching a dog something, right? Give the dog a treat when he sits, he'll know sitting got him the treat, he wants the treat so he'll sit faster and more reliably next time.

What we have to be careful of though, is how far the concept of reward reaches and how many varieties of it there are.

For example - if a dog wants to go for a walk, he'll want that reward more than anything else and probably won't be interested in sitting for food. Or if a dog wants to go and find that bitch in season, he'll want that more than anything and is likely to be determined to get it.

What we're talking about here is motivation.

In young, tame dogs, they're generally interested in how to get and keep their people's attention. This is why they jump up reliably. If your young dog jumps up, jumping up will have been rewarded. Possibly many times.

If your pup has been taught he gets fed by the breeder when he howls or whines, he'll do that reliably to get you to feed him. Equally, if the breeder waited for them to sit and be quiet before feeding, he'll offer that reliably.

Another important point, is that whichever behaviour works to get one thing he wants, he'll add to his list of 'things that work to get stuff I want', so he'll try that behaviour to get other stuff.

If 'jumping up and down and barking' gets you to feed him and he wants to go for a walk, he'll definitely try 'jumping up and down, barking'.

If you'd rather he sat quietly to ask for things, only give him the things he wants when he's sitting quietly.

This also works for play. If he wants to play with you, he will do whatever you teach him to do. If you play rough and allow him to play rough, playing rough is how he'll play because he knows you like it and what you like is important to him. What he likes is important to him too, he likes playing with you, you like rough play (or allow rough play), he plays rough with you.

Do not only do you teach him using rewards that he wants, you also teach what you allow.

If you allow him to bark at the window at passers by, he'll bark at the window at passers by. If you don't interrupt behaviours you'll see them more.

The best way to interrupt all unwanted behaviours is to teach your pup to 'go to bed and stay there until further notice'. This is clear, obvious and once fully understood isn't taken as a punishment, is accepted and develops a trusting relationship. He is safe in the knowledge that if you don't send him to bed, he's doing good.

It's easier for people to teach a dog than the word and concept of 'NO' and it's super clear to the dog when he's done it because (I hope) you leave him alone whilst he's doing it....the 'being in trouble' goes away.


Don't believe me? Try it and let me know if it doesn't work. You'll probably find his bed becomes his favourite place on earth and he lies in it with his legs in the air, basking in his 'rightness'.




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