# Praise



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

I was talking to a dog/cat rescue group today about dog training. One of the girls asked me about how we praise or reward our dogs for a job well done. Simply put, it seemed to me that there were 4 basic modes: verbal, touch, food, or physical object (toy, ball, or person/livestock).

I explained that all dogs do not react in the same way to reward outlets and that cookie cutter training can't work. I had a Lab and a Border Collie that would fall apart with any verbal praise. Allowing the dog to work WAS THE REWARD. 

How do you praise and what are you using to reward positive efforts? :-k


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Atta Boy Howard!!! Way to post a question! Good job.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

*Shucks!* 8-[


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Now I'm sure my girl, Kim would make a great crayfish pie and reward her GSD with that. Then break out the Christmas lights!!! \\/


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Howard Gaines III said:


> I was talking to a dog/cat rescue group today about dog training. One of the girls asked me about how we praise or reward our dogs for a job well done. Simply put, it seemed to me that there were 4 basic modes: verbal, touch, food, or physical object (toy, ball, or person/livestock).
> 
> I explained that all dogs do not react in the same way to reward outlets and that cookie cutter training can't work. I had a Lab and a Border Collie that would fall apart with any verbal praise. Allowing the dog to work WAS THE REWARD.
> 
> How do you praise and what are you using to reward positive efforts? :-k


As Bob Scott says, know your dog's currency and use it.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Swiss francs, Swiss francs, Swiss francs


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Swiss francs, Swiss francs, Swiss francs



:lol: :lol: :lol:

Are you sure? Did you check with the dog? The ones my dogs like best are spelled with a "k" ..... :lol:


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Connie, you are on a roll. Keep it up as I know you will. I love it.


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## kim guidry (Jan 11, 2008)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Now I'm sure my girl, Kim would make a great crayfish pie and reward her GSD with that. Then break out the Christmas lights!!! \\/


Only someone from Delaware would mis-spell Crawfish! Funny you mention the Christmas lights, I just put some fresh bulbs in today \\/


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

kim guidry said:


> Only someone from Delaware would mis-spell Crawfish! ....



LOL!

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/400-499/nb405.htm


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## Tamara McIntosh (Jul 14, 2009)

Howard Gaines III said:


> I was talking to a dog/cat rescue group today about dog training. One of the girls asked me about how we praise or reward our dogs for a job well done. Simply put, it seemed to me that there were 4 basic modes: verbal, touch, food, or physical object (toy, ball, or person/livestock).
> 
> I explained that all dogs do not react in the same way to reward outlets and that cookie cutter training can't work. I had a Lab and a Border Collie that would fall apart with any verbal praise. Allowing the dog to work WAS THE REWARD.
> 
> How do you praise and what are you using to reward positive efforts? :-k


 
Hi Howard,

At the last Mike Ellis seminar we had a GSD come onto the field for obedience. They were working on teaching the dog to back up. The girl had a tug, and Mike suggested that she might get the ball rolling faster if she used food, as she would probably be able to get in more reps. So off she went to get food. In the mids of a crowd of distractions the dog had no interest in food. So Mike took a minute to discuss drive levels and to know what priorities your dog has for reward.

I had never thought about this before but I think it is a great thing to know about your own dog(s). This GSD's had a higher priority/desire for tug work than food. Food would work wonderful at home, however in any kind of stress situation the dog just simply did not have enough food drive to sustain the work. However the dog DID have enough toy drive to work thru distractions for a toy.

The person who owns/handles the dog is a novice and I think this was an awesome thing to point out to her, as now she has a better knowledge of the tools available for her in different situations. Food is not going to work if the dog is stressed. A tug will get the job done. So rather than get frustrated with her dog (that it is not working for food at a seminar, when other peoples dogs will), it is just a fact in her mind about her dog.

Tamara McIntosh


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

My older GSD works for food, tug or praise/petting/rough housing. 
I can only use food or a tug with my younger GSD. Other then a calm "gooood", used as a bridge, praise turns him into a frickin wiggly ass golden retriever and he looses his mind!
Try everything and decide what works best for YOUR dog!


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Tamara good points to share! I found some very small pepperoni "minis" by Hormel at Wal-Mart. They are dime size and about 1/8" thick, should be great for training, unless I pig out on them myself! The issue I have with food training, some folks dish it out to the dog like an all you can eat meal. Or the dog has been fed such a large meal that the food is no longer the reward. Working to please the handler should be the reward. Dig up some more of that good stuff and pass it along, and I'll take a meatball sub with extra cheese!!!\\/


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## jay lyda (Apr 10, 2006)

Howard Gaines III said:


> How do you praise and what are you using to reward positive efforts? :-k


Ive em a wink and slap em on the ass. Works everytime.

Dude, what in the heck is a crayfish?? You've got to be kidding me!! :lol:


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

jay lyda said:


> Ive em a wink and slap em on the ass. Works everytime.
> 
> Dude, what in the heck is a crayfish?? You've got to be kidding me!! :lol:


Those are crawdads in my neck of the woods!
Don't even look like any fish I've ever seen.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Mud bugs, poor mans lobster, bass bait, GA tie-tack! [-X


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## kim guidry (Jan 11, 2008)

jay lyda said:


> Ive em a wink and slap em on the ass. Works everytime.
> 
> Dude, what in the heck is a crayfish?? You've got to be kidding me!! :lol:


OMG :-o [-( Jay,Jay,Jay........ and about the "crayfish" what can I say, Howard teaches shop class! [-(


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

*With forum friends like the two of you, ya'll could make someone's wish!* ...Me, run away and NEVER return...yeah, right, fat chance. Wouldn't have anyone else to pick on!!!!


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## Karin Niessen (Feb 9, 2009)

I used to work with treats in obedience (clicker training), with a ball at agility. Now I do SAR and the treat is a tug (rubber ball on a rope) localised at the victim, but she can only get it from me (so has to lead me to the victim when she has found one).

I still so some just-for-the-fun-of-it 'obedience' work at home, because my dog loves to learn new things (it's really getting to be more dogdance like than obedience, lol) that's still with clicker and treats...


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## Daryl Ehret (Apr 4, 2006)

I use verbal a lot, and it's often in continual feedback to the dog. It's repeated, and transforms with pitch and tone variance like "good.... good down.... good boy..... very good...... VERy good dowooon!". Some intervals of silence with no praise, and then a little reinforcement feedback for the segments of the exercise that are better than the rest like (gives eye contact, appears very attentive) "Yes!... VERy good!". Then on the release, receives the bite or object retrieve, the rough-gruff "atta boy" and heavy pats.


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