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Training rewards - Let's get creative

Last post 10-14-2007 11:38 PM by Liesje. 10 replies.

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10-14-2007 6:06 PM

Chuffy
Joined on 12-17-2006
UK
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Training rewards - Let's get creative

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OK, name your dog's top 5 favourite things! Only rule is, it must be something you can feasibly give or allow as a reward for desired behaviour.

GO!

"Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life." (Pratchett, Jingo)

"I used to look at [my dog] Smokey and think, 'If you were a little smarter you could tell me what you were thinking,' and he'd look at me like he was saying, 'If you were a little smarter, I wouldn't have to.'" - Fred Jungclaus

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10-14-2007 6:12 PM In reply to Chuffy

micksmom
Joined on 09-10-2007
Warren Co, NJ
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Re: Training rewards - Let's get creative

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These are 5 of the things I use when we train:

1-Pepper Jack Cheese

2- Liverbread

3-Cheddar Cheese

4- soft puppy bumper

5- YES! with pets, hugs, kisses, hi-fives.

My name is Sue
How do you do?

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10-14-2007 6:14 PM In reply to Chuffy

calliecritturs
Joined on 09-10-2007
Central Florida
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Re: Training rewards - Let's get creative

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Packaged 'string' cheese (long slim packages of mozarella cheese designed for packed lunches) - EZ to pinch off pieces but keep in pocket

Liver treats (lightly sauteed -in olive oil - liver cut in wee tiny pieces that I then 'dry' in the oven on a very low heat for about 2 hours)

bits of kibble (my favorite are high quality kibble 'samples' that I've picked up but I home-cook so my dogs think they're awesome treats!)

Chearlee Bear treats (I get them on Dog.com, not wonderful quality but easily chewed by Kee Shu and my dogs LOVE them)

bits of steak cut in infinitesimal pieces

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10-14-2007 6:15 PM In reply to calliecritturs

calliecritturs
Joined on 09-10-2007
Central Florida
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Re: Training rewards - Let's get creative

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Hey, if you don't mean FOOD treats, then my voice is #1 (each dog has a special 'awesome' word) and 10 seconds of play with a favorite of the day toy.

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10-14-2007 6:25 PM In reply to calliecritturs

Cita
Joined on 12-13-2006
CT
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Re: Training rewards - Let's get creative

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Meat in small pieces (no processed meats, please, those are beneath him - only fresh stuff)

Other training treats

Squeaky stuffy toy (he has to be in the right mood though)

Running around with me like a maniac (again, has to be in the right mood)

And #1 top reward no matter when or where: getting to go in my bed, under the covers. Absolute best reward regardless of anything else. Added bonus points if I then "wrestle" with him with "the invisible-hand blanket monster."

He doesn't really respond that well to vocal praise, probably because he doesn't know my varied voice tones well enough yet. He knows I'm happy but it doesn't really excite him that much. And as for petting, forget it, he barely tolerates it!

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10-14-2007 7:03 PM In reply to Cita

ron2
Joined on 09-10-2007
far north central Texas
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Re: Training rewards - Let's get creative

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Little, round baked treats of flour and flavoring that I can buy at Petco by the pound.

Baked turkey meat bisquits I can buy at Canine Comissary in Plano, Texas. Shadow will try out for the Bolshoi Ballet for that.

Bits of meat that I have cooked.

A chance to track mouse-scent.

A chance to meet another dog or smell where they have been. In the latter two, I have commanded and received obedience and then allowed him to carry on.

The way you treat your dog in this life determines your place in heaven. - chukchi proverb

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10-14-2007 8:37 PM In reply to ron2

Chuffy
Joined on 12-17-2006
UK
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Re: Training rewards - Let's get creative

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To clarify - I meant anything really, not just food! For example, when Dell sees a cat the thing she wants most is to be allowed to PLAY with the cat. (She LOVES cats! We have one and she and Dell play endlessly together!) Food, toys, praise.... mean nothing. If she "acts up" we walk away... no cats. If she controls herself and responds to a "sit" she is allowed to WATCH the cat. (Cats are losing their novelty value now. And they are getting boring-er because they don't run away so much.)

Filed under: rewards

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10-14-2007 8:38 PM In reply to Cita

Kim_MacMillan
Joined on 11-21-2006
Eastern Canada
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Re: Training rewards - Let's get creative

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More than 5, but....yeah.

- Tug o' war.
- Small toys (certain toys used only for teaching and nothing else - squirrel tail rattle, squirrel squeaky, mini rope toy, a frog that sings "Jingle Bells")
- cue to do another behaviour (some of my guys find some tricks intrinsically reinforcing - high five, spin, dance, being three)
- cue to "hug"
- opportunity to chase toys (they don't retrieve, but could chase them all day long).
- opportunity to play catch - one girl in particular loves to catch toys, it's really the only way she plays with them.
- Simple praise
- Singing a song - some I'll make up like the "wiggle butt" song, others are nursery rhyme tunes with word substitutions.
- Acting like a fool - this is great reinforcement for some of them.
- Playing chase.
- Off-lead romp - we use this mostly as a reward for tracking teachings, when they finish a track we send them off to run free, if they are trusted offleash.
- Mac n' cheese. Some of my guys would walk through fire for this.

If I think of more, I'll post them later.

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10-14-2007 9:23 PM In reply to Kim_MacMillan

houndlove
Joined on 08-28-2006
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Re: Training rewards - Let's get creative

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Food is #1 for Marlowe but we've got a couple more....

2. Squeaky tennis ball thrown

3. Being let out to the yard, taken for a walk, or let out of his room

4. Permission to jump up and give a hug

That's pretty much it for him. He doesn't play tug, doesn't really care about praise, and being touched while working is not his cup of tea.

Conrad's list goes thusly:

1. Food

2. Enthusiastic praise

3. Being pet and rubbed

4. Squeaky tennis ball thrown

He doesn't tug either so that's pretty much it for him.

We use a lot of life rewards though--whatever the dog wants at that particular moment is a training opportunity.

Cressida and her best friends:

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10-14-2007 11:17 PM In reply to houndlove

BEVOLASVEGAS
Joined on 07-11-2006
Texas
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Re: Training rewards - Let's get creative

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My guys are all pretty easy to please.

1. Food treats of any kind

2. A simple "good"

3. Thumbs up signal

4. Tug O' War

5. Squeaky toy

My list works well for all of my dogs. The dobes respond best to "good" & a thumbs up signal. The doxies are very food oriented. THe boxer loves the squeaky toy, & the mutt loves to play tug 'o war. I use whatever works best for my dogs.

Amanda

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, throughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming --- ' WOW, WHAT A RIDE!!!! ' " - Author Unknown