The document discusses the reward training method for dog training. It notes that while commonly viewed as a modern technique, reward training has likely been used since dogs were domesticated thousands of years ago. Reward training works by teaching dogs to associate rewards like food treats or praise with desired behaviors. When done correctly, reward training can be an effective way to earn a dog's respect and attention while training them.

2. Dog Training Using the
Reward Training Method

3. Whilerewardtrainingiscommonlyviewedasthemostcurrentstyleofdog
training,itisactuallyalotolderthanmostothermethodsofdogtraining.Itis
likelythattherewardtrainingmethod hasbeeninusesincedogswere
domesticated thousandsofyearsago. Earlyhumanslikelyusedsome
unofficialtypeofrewardtrainingwhenrefiningthewolfpupsthatultimately
becamedomesticateddogs.

4. Alotoftheideasaboutcurrentmethodsofrewardtraininggobackseveral
decades.Butwhat weknowasrewardtrainingtodayhasonlyenjoyedits
recognitionforthepast10orsoyears.

5. Mostrewardtrainingproponentsarenotsoeageraboutothermethodsofdog
training,liketheleashandcollarstyle.Itislikely,though,thatthebestapproach
totrainingyourdogwillbeamixtureofleashandcollartrainingwithreward
training.

6. Additionally,acertaintrainingstylemightworkgreatforoneparticulardog,but
notforanother.Somedogswhoarenotmotivatedbyrewardtrainingbutdo
wellwiththeleash/collarmethod,andotherdogsrespondwelltoreward
trainingwhileleash/collartraining does not work at all. Fortunately, the
majority of dogs fall somewhere inbetween.

7. Oneofthemorepopularmethodsofrewardtrainingcurrentlyisclicker
training.Whileclickertrainingdoesnotworkforeverydog,itcanstillbea
highlyusefulmethodoftrainingdogs.Thewayclickertrainingworksisby
teachingtoassociateaclickingsoundwithapositivereinforcement,suchasa
treat.Whenthedogdoessomethingwell,thetrainerreactsbyclickingthe
clicker,thenimmediatelyofferingthedogatreat.Intime,thedoglearnsto
reacttotheclickeronly.

8. Inrewardtrainingthemostcommontypeoftreatisafoodreward.Almost
always,complextricksorbehaviorscanonlybetaughtusingthistypeof
reinforcement.Infact,trainerswhotraindogsformoviesandtelevisionuse
food-basedrewardtrainingalmosttotally.

9. Rewardtrainingisusedforalltypesofdogtraining,includingforpoliceand
militarywork.Themajorityoftraininginscentdetectionandtrackingutilizea
kindofrewardtraining.Youcanalsouserewardtraininginteachingthebasic
dogtrainingcommands.

10. Inrewardtrainingalureisfrequentlyemployedtoenticethedogintoadesired
positionorstance.Thelurehelpstoconvincethedogtoperformthesought
afterbehaviorofhisownvolition.

11. Gettingthedogtocarryoutabehaviorwithoutbeinghandledisimportant.
Thepointofthetraining,infact,istogetthedogtoexecuteabehaviorwithout
anyhandlingbythetrainer.

12. Oncethedoghascarriedoutthecommandedbehavior,heisrewardedwitha
positivereinforcement,suchasafoodtreat.Treatsareoftenusedinorderto
reinforcegoodbehaviors,butotherpositivereinforcements,suchasverbal
praise,canalsobeusedforreinforcement.

13. Itisimportantthatareward-traineddogalsobeareliabledog.Ifadogis
trainedtodoajob,suchaspoliceworkordrugdetection,outsidedistractions
aretobeexpected.Thereforeitisimportanttotrainthedogtoworkandbe
focusedarounddiversions,aswellastosocializehimwithotheranimalsand
people.

14. Sometimesdogtrainersonlytrainthedoginsidethehouseorbackyard,only
whentheowneristhere,freeofdistractions.Itisimportanttotakethedog
outsideofhiscomfortzoneandintroducedtonewpeopleandsituations

15. Itisalsoimportantthatthedogbetrainedtopayattentiontothehandler
always.Whentheownerhasthecompleteattentionofthedog,hehas
completecontrolofthedog.Whenexecutedcorrectly,rewardtrainingisavery
effectivetrainingmethodthathelpstoearntherespectandtheattentionof
thedog.

16. To LearnMoreAboutDogTraining,go to
http://howtohousetraindog.com/go/dog-training
http://howtohousetraindog.com/go/theonlinedogtrainer