# Physical Rewards



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Of the training reward "toys" you use, which does your dog seem to like or which do you feel is the easiest to use as a handler: tennis ball, pc. of garden hose, jute roll, Kong, rope roll, tug, or other?


----------



## will fernandez (May 17, 2006)

pvc pipe, foam ball, sleeve


----------



## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Dead squirrel seems to get them fired up the best. Other than a live one


----------



## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Don Turnipseed said:


> Dead squirrel seems to get them fired up the best.


Not live squirrel no?


----------



## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Of the training reward "toys" you use, which does your dog seem to like or which do you feel is the easiest to use as a handler: tennis ball, pc. of garden hose, jute roll, Kong, rope roll, tug, or other?


if its in my hand and presented as a toy they work for it (within reason of course)


----------



## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

When I am selecting a dog, the dog picks the reward. He's the one that has to work for it. I have my preferences, but I use whatever drives the behavior.

DFrost


----------



## will fernandez (May 17, 2006)

David Frost said:


> When I am selecting a dog, the dog picks the reward. He's the one that has to work for it. I have my preferences, but I use whatever drives the behavior.
> 
> DFrost


Have you ever found that ocassionally the dogs preference puts him in a level of drive that is not conducive for the behavior?


----------



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

One of my dogs prefers the tug over anything else. A stick would be next. 
The other one works for praise but that can put him over the top. The goofball screams at me just for a pat on the head. Food would be second, tug third.


----------



## Erin James-Crook (Oct 5, 2010)

I use toy rewards for both of my dogs in obedience (Schutzhund/AKC) as well as agility. 

My boy seems to work best for a squeaky ball, but he also will work for a variety of tugs, discs, and occasionally a stick depending on the situation. He loves a rubber chuckit whistle ball, but it often puts him over the top, so we're currently working on that. 

My girl loves the same squeaky ball, but she equally enjoys a sheepskin tug and has recently started working for a disc. Non squeaky toys are generally not as appealing for her and sticks and rigid tug toys are rarely highly motivating, but she does work for them if that's what I have, her performance just isn't quite as flashy.


----------



## Daniel Lybbert (Nov 23, 2010)

I think it depends on the situation. If I want my dog to be "free?" I throw a ball. If I want the reward fun but controlled I use a tug. If I want the reward to be quite and controlled I use food. Sometimes the reward comes as a bite on the decoy. Other times just the fact that I am pleased and a pat on the head is sufficient.
I think a guy needs to use his brain and figure out what gets the best results.


----------



## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

My Mal will work for any toy - ball, kong, tug, rope toy, whatever, but for him it's not so much the toy he wants as the tug game and the interaction. I like a ball on a string - easy to hold in my hand or tuck in a pocket or under my arm and then present or toss for a reward. Also good because I throw like a girl and if I want to send him for a long run after the ball, the string helps me get a lot more distance.


----------



## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

will fernandez said:


> Have you ever found that ocassionally the dogs preference puts him in a level of drive that is not conducive for the behavior?


Once, in literally thousands of dogs, with a Lab. I changed him to food reward. Truthfully, I thought that dog had dain bramage anyway. I think I could have worked through that problem. I've found though, there comes a time when we have to work smarter rather than harder.

DFrost


----------



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Going on what David said, my Border Collie picked a piece of 3/4" x 9" pine stake, used to mark Christmas trees. This "reward" stick was what SHE wanted to play with and hunt for...Casting for it in the tall weeds didn't slow her down b/c it was the thing SHE wanted to use!


----------

