“Is positive reinforcement, or treat training, bribery?” This is a question I get asked a lot, especially from first time dog owners. “Am I bribing my dog?” “Will I always have to use treats to get my dog to follow commands?” This is a valid concern and when used improperly your dog may not offer the behavior requested without the treat in your hand. Most people are looking to train their dogs to offer appropriate behavior and follow house rules. I am a force free dog trainer and I believe in the power of positive reinforcement. My goal is to help you communicate with your dog and to teach you how to shape those positive behaviors.
Remember, you are your dog’s entire world and they really do want to please you, but without teaching them basic commands and rules they often fail. There must be a motivator to change and shape new behaviors. Your dog may already have ingrained behaviors that are working fine for him. You may not like some of these behaviors, but for your dog they are accomplishing a need and are then reinforced. If your dog pulls on a walk it probably gets him where he wants to go quicker. If you allow him to pull each time it sets the behavior firmer in place. So, to change these behaviors and shape new ones there must be a motivating force. The motivation is the catalyst for change. When trained properly the treat is not bribery but a tool to promote this new behavior.
In training sessions I pair a clicker with a treat reward. When the dog completes the behavior requested, I click to mark that behavior and then a treat follows. The click allows you to mark the behavior the second it is executed so the dog understands why he is getting the treat. Quickly, the dog learns that the click means a reward is coming. The dog also learns what behavior he needs to offer up to get the click. By using a clicker, I will also be able to quickly lessen the number of treats given by being able to mark the behavior. Once the dog is doing the command reliably, I start to treat less frequently, still clicking every time the command is done. The dog stays engaged with fewer treats because the clicker is offering reinforcement. Once the dog knows this new command, the treats stop and the command will be followed by a new one. An example: “sit” is the first learned command when training a puppy. Once the puppy knows “sit” the treats stop and you will add “down” or “stay” to create a chain of commands. The clicker will still mark the “sit”, and the dog will get the treat after the next command is done properly. I find this approach keeps the dog engaged and you can build up to a string of commands, clicking after each with the treat given at the very end.
Positive reinforcement training is not about bribing a dog to offer behaviors you like. It is about the addition of something positive to shape and reinforce behaviors that are wanted. When you train force free you are increasing the bond between you and your dog. Not only is this an effective way to train, but it’s fun for both of you. You will have a higher success rate for positive behaviors sticking when they are shaped this way.
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