The case of the disappearing "good" dog is all too common. You praise your dog for doing something correctly and they promptly bugger off! If this sounds familiar, read on...
What is the issue
When rewarding our dogs for good behaviour, we should be telling them they are doing the right thing. This comes in the form of verbal praise such as "good girl", "good boy", "good dog" etc.
Sometimes we can accidentally teach our dogs that verbal praise signals the end of the training or exercise. This means you can't verbally praise your dog without them losing focus on the task at hand, and that is a problem when training your dog.
Examples
Some basic examples include:
Recall:
You recall your dog to put them back on the lead
They come running back
You say "good dog" and give them a treat
They immediately run off again before you had chance to put the lead on.
Sit:
You ask your dog to sit whilst you wait to cross the road
They sit
You say "good dog" and give them a treat
They immediately stand up and start moving
You have to repeatedly ask them to sit again until the road is clear.
How to stop your dog losing focus after rewards
There are a few ways you can stop your dog losing focus after you have rewarded them.
Teach a release cue
A release cue is a word that signals to your dog they are on free time. Common release cues include "free", "break", "ok", and mine is "go play". You say this cue word when your training is finished and you want your dog to relax. You can also use it to release your dog to go do something, such as eat their food or go sniff when you unclip their lead.
By having a specific release cue, your dog knows to maintain what has been asked of them until they hear that word. This helps your dog maintain focus on the task at hand and on you.
Empower your "good dog"
When used properly, verbal praise is rewarding in itself. Pair "good dog" with other rewards such as food or toys often enough and the "good dog" becomes an indicator that good things are about to happen. To build value and strengthen the meaning of "good dog", simply say the words and pass your dog a piece of food or produce a toy. Your dog does not need to perform any behaviour for this; they are simply learning that the phrase means good things appear at their owner. When repeated many times the likelihood of your dog sticking around upon hearing this phrase is much greater.
Distinguish between verbal praise and release cue
Practice training exercises that allow your dog to learn that verbal praise is not a release. A few simple examples are below.
Recall:
Have a heeling lead or long line on your dog. Completely let go of it so it is trailing on the floor. Recall your dog over and as they arrive stand on the long line or pick up the heeling lead. Then verbally praise for the recall (they should not be able to move away from you because of the lead). Ask your dog to do something else immediately such as sit. Verbally reward this and then use your release cue to release them before they make the decision to do it themselves.
Sit:
Ask your dog to sit, take a few steps away, return to your dog and say "good dog" giving calm strokes as they are sitting, then step away from your dog again leaving them sat, then return to your dog and release them with your release cue.
By implementing these techniques you should be able to teach your dog that your verbal praise is a reward not a release. Hollindale Working Dogs can help you work on this further if you need more guidance.
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