Animals learn by a process of trial and error. The outcome
of an activity will affect whether the pup develops it into a habit,
or never does it again. This is a bit of an oversimplification - there
is a large grey area where the success or failure is not clear cut and
where the pup will need to continuously repeat an activity to learn
about it. The more times the activity is repeated, the more the pup
will learn about it.
For example, the pup approaches a cat for the first time. The cat' s
response could affect how the pup feels about cats in the future.
a) The cat arches its back, hisses loudly and
scratches the pup in the face.
The pup is frightened and hurt. It yelps, backs off and learns not to
approach cats -they' re sharp!
b) The cat immediately turns and runs away, and
the puppy gives chase
The pup has great fun chasing the cat. Next time he sees one, he will
approach it enthusiastically!
c) The cat hisses, and does not move. The pup
backs off for a moment but is not sure what to make of this strange
hissing creature, and tries again. The game continues for half an hour
until the pup becomes bored and wanders off
The pup is not quite sure what to make of cats, but spends some time
repeatedly 'trying it out'. In the end it decides that cats are a bit
odd and not really worth bothering with.
So, the pup learns more from an immediate, clear signal.
Like people, animals learn and retain information best when they are
happy and relaxed. Puppies passing through the socialisation phase of
development are eager to please and learn best through reward based
training.
By using a reward based method, the puppy learns to be attentive
towards and trusting of the owner. He will be encouraged learn by
trying new things in anticipation of a reward, rather than being
anxious about being wrong.
A reward can be anything the puppy wants
For example:
a pleasant experience (this is how pups learn for themselves)
-
a reward given by you can be any combination of
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verbal praise
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food
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play with a favourite toy
-
All dogs are motivated by different things and it is worth experimenting
with your pup to find out which rewards he values most highly, and what
sounds or signals work best to attract his attention.
It is good practice for all dogs to learn to defer to their owners by
briefly sitting and attending to them before receiving anything they want.
This habit can be started at any age.
Dogs, especially puppies, have a very short attention span. They will
associate two events only if they occur very close together (less than
half a second). Thus it is important to time the reward carefully, to be
given exactly as the puppy performs the desired behaviour.
About Verbal Praise
Experiment with different voices to find what works best for your pup.
Most puppies respond best to a high-pitched, excited voice. Speak as
quietly as possible to the pup to encourage him to listen carefully to
you. A whisper often works better than a yell!
Always talk to your pup when you are rewarding him, eventually you will be
able to use verbal praise alone, but to begin with the pup will learn best
if you reinforce this with other good experiences.
About Food Treats
Most puppies respond best to food treats as rewards.. Remember that the
treats are used as a salary or reward, NOT as a bribe. Find a food that
the pup likes but which he does not usually experience. I would suggest
tiny cubes of cheese or boiled slivers of chicken. The treat should be
desirable enough to motivate the pup but not so much so as to get him
excited. Food treats should be tiny so that the pup does not become full,
fat and bored. If he stops responding to one kind of treat, try another
one.
Rewarding dogs with food treats is an acquired art form. To prevent the
dog lunging for the food, keep ready prepared treats in a bag or cup
behind your back and keep one treat in a hand, ready to reward the dog.
That hand can either be kept behind your back so that the dog does not
stare at the food, or raised towards your face so teach the pup to make
eye contact with you. The treat must be small enough that the focus of the
dog's attention is on you and not the treat. A treat of the correct size
can be enclosed in the palm of your hand. When presenting the pup with the
treat, move the hand, with fist closed, up quickly towards him and turn
your wrist to offer the treat from an open palm. It stands to reason
that he pup will not be impressed by a food reward right after a big meal!
Play as a Reward
All training sessions should be short and fun, and finish up with a game.
Some puppies are not highly motivated by food Squeaky toys, raggers and
balls can all be incorporated into training sessions and used to attract
attention and reward the pup by allowing them to take chase the ball or
take possession of the toy briefly.
A combination of all three reward methods is ideal!
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