Mary Allen
Many dog hobbies are quite demanding and require a lot of concentration from the dog. But by giving praise at the right time, we show our four-legged friends what we want from them. Praise the dog should have a motivating effect – there are a few things to consider, namely with what, when, and what you reward.
Praise the Dog With the Right Reward
A compliment has to be something special. A dog that is basically moderately motivated will not be herded across the agility course with a piece of dry food that you have taken from its ration in the morning. So, in order for your praise to really count, you must first find out what your dog loves.
Lining
Treats trigger feelings of happiness and we like to reward ourselves with a nice piece of cake. Does “love through the stomach” also go with your darling? Then the food praise is just right for him. Especially when your dog is learning something new, you can use lots of little treats to reward every single step that goes in the right direction.
Another advantage: the dog can be “directed” with a treat. For example, you can teach him to gyrate by moving the food in your hand around his body. If the movement is executed correctly, the reward follows at the end.
You can also build up a hierarchy of treats: there is a small piece for a simple exercise, there is a “jackpot” with delicious cheese cubes or meat sausage when your dog has done something really really well. The higher the requirement, the more attractive the reward can be.
Game
For dogs with a pronounced play and movement instinct, the reward from play is often the greatest pleasure you can give them. It is particularly useful as a compliment after a long, concentrated training session, such as after nose work. This is a wonderful way to show: “You did well, now you can romp around.” The dogs also use the movement of the game to release the tension that they have built up, for example, if they had to lie quietly for a while in the “Stay!” position, although everyone around them was raging wildly. Throwing a ball or – depending on your preference – a short tug of war is just right at this moment.
Words
Humans naturally associate emotions with words, so our honest praise, whether it’s in the form of food or play, is almost always backed up by words. That’s a good thing, too, because after a while the dog associates the words “Nice work!” with a delicious treat. And it won’t be long before spoken praise alone shows our dog he’s done something right.
My Extra Tip
Watch your voice
Dogs respond well to high-pitched sounds made with a lot of exuberance. It’s easy for women, sometimes difficult for men. A “Great!” sounds just like a “Woe to you!”. So practice your words of praise until you notice that the dog responds happily.
However, verbal praise can also excite a dog, which is not desirable at the moment. A high-pitched, happy voice that says “Nice job!” makes some dogs jump up from lying down – and you’ve already interrupted the exercise. So always adapt your voice to the situation – sometimes and effusive praise, sometimes a calm, friendly word.
Praise at the Right Time
Praise that comes at the wrong time is ineffective. But finding the right time sounds easier than it is. Especially when your dog is supposed to learn something new, the approach must be praised. If you then have to laboriously get a treat out of your pocket or the ball out of your backpack, it’s too late: the dog can no longer make a connection between its actions and the reward.
Match Praise to Achievement
Over time, adapt your praise to your dog’s training level: If you constantly praise behavior that is actually natural, you take away what is motivating and special about the praise.
Praise the Dog With a Sense of Proportion
- Initially, when it comes to learning a new command, praise every little thing.
- Later, only the result of the exercise is rewarded. So if the command was executed correctly to the end.
- If the behavior can be reliably retrieved, the praise can also gradually become smaller. Alternate between a big and a small compliment, such as a treat and a word of praise. This keeps it interesting for the dog.