Meaningful Rewards for a Dog

We are in a privileged position to hear and see a lot of different dogs and a lot of different owners. It helps us continue to learn and grow as dog trainers and really reinforces the idea that no two teams are alike. If we want to help that person and that dog, we need to be able to adapt to their differences. We’ve become experts at knowing when to pick our battles. Knowing when something is a big enough influencer on that dog’s behavior that we need to persevere is important. It’s equally as important to not push the envelope when we know something is not a big enough game changer.

When it’s a big deal, we have to work to change the human’s mind to get them on side with what we know will help the dog. Some of the most common arguments surround rewards and consequences. Some of the most crucial components in determining the success or failure of a team are the variables in rewards and consequences. I can almost guarantee you that you’ll never see success in your dog training if the rewards you choose are only rewarding to the human element of the team. Likewise, with consequences, if you choose them based on human desires, you won’t likely reach your goals of a well trained dog.

This article is not meant to be an argument over whether or not to use food in your training, just as a common example. When dog owners decide they don’t want to train using food, they need…