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Positive reinforcement training
What is positive reinforcement training?
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To
put it very simply, positive reinforcement training uses positive
consequences to teach your dog things you want him to learn. It involves
a good deal of treats, play, and enthusiasm to help your dog understand
what you desire from him.
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Why should I train this way?
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The
most important and tangible benefit of positive reinforcement training
is an improved relationship with your dog. I've known hundreds of dogs
in my time, and I've never met a single one who didn't want to be the
best dog in the world for his owner. Positive reinforcement takes
advantage of your dog's eagerness to learn and please you. It
demonstrates to our dogs that we love and respect them--qualities that
form the foundation of any healthy relationship. Second, training with
positive reinforcement avoids the unpleasant "behavioral
side-effects" normally associated with punishment-based training.
You will find your dog is more confident, comfortable, and fun to be
with when you train him this way. Third, it allows your dog the chance
to choose the proper behavior and discover which one's right. Last, it's
way more fun! And we all know that when you make learning fun, it
sticks!
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Why would I want my dog making choices?
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In
my training program, it is my most earnest goal to teach your dog to
think and to choose. Many people are intimidated by this idea. "My
dog's not exactly Einstein, and he still managed to tear up the couch.
Why would I want him smarter?" I firmly believe that dogs are
capable of conscious thought, as do most attentive dog owners. We've all
seen our dogs calculating the best way to steal our sandwich off the
counter. Whether we like it or not, learning takes place all the time,
24/7. When that learning isn't given a direction, it often manifests in
undesirable behavior. By allowing your dog to choose, you teach him that
making the 'right' choice is better than making the 'wrong' choice.
Eventually, your dog will be able to make the right choice without input
from you, even in new situations. Teach him to think and he'll use his
brain!
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What's a clicker and what's it for?
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A
clicker is a small plastic box with an aluminum or steel
"tongue" inside which--you guessed
it--clicks when pressed. You can find clickers for about a dollar each
at any major pet supply store. Basically, the 'click' is a signal that
means, "Yes, that's right."
As
with any other signal you use with your dog, he must be trained to
understand what the clicker means. The click itself is a meaningless
signal until you attach meaning to it.
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So why should I use a clicker?
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This
is an argument I hear a lot. You don't have to use the clicker if you
don't want to, but I'll tell you why I do. Humans probably have the most
complicated verbal language of any animal, and we're not afraid to use
it. Think of how many different ways you communicate to your dog that
you're pleased with him: "Good dog!", "Good boy!",
"Yes!", "Excellent!", "That's right!",
"You're so smart!"...it goes on and on. And to us, all those
phrases mean basically the same thing. But most dogs aren't fluent in
English. The clicker makes the same noise every time, giving your dog a
consistent signal every time. We want your dog to understand, without a
doubt, that he has behaved correctly.
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I've heard positive reinforcement training is less
effective. Is this true?
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No!
You'll most often hear this misconception from trainers and owners who
use punishment as a means to direct behavior. They believe that their
way is the only way. It's true that trainers have used their
tried-and-true punishment-based methods for hundreds of years, and that
these methods do work. You can absolutely teach a dog to "sit"
by smacking his rear. But wouldn't the dog rather you didn't? Won't a
dog who's trained with positive reinforcement perform the action more
willingly? You can teach a dog anything he's physically capable of doing
using positive reinforcement or punishment. Here's the difference: a dog
who's had his butt smacked will "sit" because he's afraid of
having his butt smacked again; a dog who's been trained with treats and
enthusiasm will "sit" because he wants to. It's important to
consider your dog's feelings about training for concrete behavioral
reasons, but also for compassionate reasons. If you can get the same
result with popsicles as you can with a whip, wouldn't you rather have
the popsicles?
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