I want my dog to do it because he loves me

I'm sure all of us positive trainers have heard this a million times...

This is EXTREMELY well put!!!

http://paws4udogs.wordpress.com/2012...e-he-loves-me/

I want my OH to do the dishes because he loves me, never seems to happen though!!

But I bet ya he'll do it for $50 LOL

Never a truer word spoken, very well said to whoever wrote that article. My dogs aren't robots either, and although treats aren't used much for training anymore, unless it's something new, a bit of slack here and there doesn't go amiss, give 'em a break hey!

I like this article. I say this to people when they say I "bribe" Parker to come back to me with treats. I say that a reward is different to a bribe and think they are just a tad jealous when I can recall my terrier when he's in full flight after the bunnies on the heath!

Well I never used treats to train my dogs in the past but then I only wanted them to obey basic commands - not agility or anything clever or fancy. I believed in just PRAISE.

And the only 'training' I have used treats for with the one I have now is to 'give me her paw' and I posted on here asking how to get her to do it and was told to conceal a treat in my hand! I did that and she learned it in about 5mins flat!

All the GSDs and bigger dogs I had learned 'paw' very quickly without treats. The biggest treat for them was to hear 'who's the best girl in the world then?' or 'who's a clever girl?' lol!

I'm obviously so OLD - I didn't even KNOW anyone who trained their dog with treats. And took all my GSDs to training classes when pups and treats didn't come into it anywhere back then - in the 70s.

The point is it is not US that decides what is reinforcing or rewarding to dogs it is the dog.

And the more dogs you have and the more different breeds you have you come to realise that what floats the boat of one dog has no value to another.

So for example one of my dogs was trained practically ENTIRELY by food as, apart from sniffing, that is the most valuable thing I can offer her.

the other one is trained practically ENTIRELY with a ball, as that is the most valuable thing I can offer him.

People who insist on training all dogs "by their book" will eventually come across a dog that has not read it.

Also the quality of their behaviour is not so high.

A bit like offering me a plate of brussel sprouts for taking the rubbish out in the snow.

If I was starving, it may motivate me, but not if I am slumped on the sofa in front of my favourite tv programme.

Now if you offerred me a glass of champagne, a box of truffles and I would be gone (with sound effects like a cartoon).

I never expected my daughter to do things "because she loved me" why would I expect a dog to do so?

As for the difference between bribes and reinforcers...........

http://flyingdogpress.com/content/view/47/97/

Not trying to get at you or anything, just something I have always wondered

If you only train with praise how does the dog learn what praise is??? 'Good boy' is just words like any other words and mean nothing to the dog until you make them mean something
Do you add affection/patting when you are praising?

My mum talks about in the 50s training her dog with 'good boy' chocky drops so I think regular owners used treats - trainers at the time didnt seem to

Good article shame not in french, they often think I "bribe" Culotte to get her to do things.

oh and I am now bribing Grey

A dog knows when you are pleased with them or not through the tone of your voice and your body language.

Many dogs and humans will 'work' for praise alone -e.g. children will work hard in class and are eager to please a favourite teacher just to get a smile and a well done. I don't think dogs are so different - though like humans, there are different personalities and some will not give a hoot about praise but will want something more tangible.

I know plenty of working dogs who think that a 'good lad' and a clap (pat) from their handler is the best thing ever. Yes some of them do use harsh punishment as well (which i don't agree with) bu there are many who do not and who have some of the best mannered, obedient dogs I have ever met.

I think where pet-dog owners have difficulty about praise only training is that for a reward to be most efficient it means that it shouldn't be freely available for nothing. Our dogs are used to having cuddles whenever/wherever they want and are used to us happily chatting away to them about nothing - and that's the way we like it. We don't want to limit our affection/attention just for rewards so we use other things instead.