Many people search the net for methods to solve the problems that arise during the education of their pets and that's when positive reinforcement in dogs comes into play, a good tool to contribute to learning. The training of a dog does not apply only to the stages of its youth but it continues in the dog's adult life.
In other words, the behavior is strengthened when it is followed by a positive reinforcer. The term " positive" means that the reinforcer is presented or added immediately after the behavior. Positive reinforcers are usually things that are pleasant to the individual, or things for which the individual is willing to make some effort. In this article on our site we talk about positive reinforcement in dogs and the effectiveness and results it presents in training.
What is positive reinforcement?
Canine education and training are based on classical conditioning and operant conditioning. In the latter, the consequences of behavior are used as a basis for learning, in this way, if we apply positive reinforcement, there will be greater possibilities of the dog performing a certain behavior. In summary, we will explain the four variables of operant conditioning:
- Positive Reinforcement: Add a pleasant stimulus when the dog performs an appropriate behavior. An example would be rewarding the dog with a treat after obeying an obedience command.
- Negative reinforcement: remove an unpleasant stimulus when the dog performs an appropriate behavior. An example would be electric collars, which stop emitting shocks when the dog stops barking.
- Positive Punishment: Add an unpleasant stimulus when the dog performs an inappropriate behavior. An example would be punishing the dog with a hit or a yank on the collar when he reacts badly on the street
- Negative Punishment: remove a pleasant stimulus when the dog performs an inappropriate behavior. An example would be leaving the pipican when the dog bites another dog inside it.
However, we must differentiate the use of positive reinforcement, present in practically all dog training techniques, from "positive education", which excludes positive punishment and negative reinforcement.
How to apply positive reinforcement in dogs?
Using positive reinforcement in dogs is very simple, it consists of rewarding our dog with treats, caresses and words when he correctly performs a order. Unlike other training methods, the dog trained through positive education understands more positively and suffers from lower levels of stress.
The most common positive reinforcers in dog training are food and games. However, there are also other reinforcers that you can use. All dogs are different from each other, and each one has particular preferences Therefore, it is not possible to say that all dogs have to be trained with this or that type of food, or that tug of war games serve as reinforcers in all cases.
Using the clicker
The clicker is a tool that applies positive reinforcement through a small instrument that makes a sound, thus improving attention and perception in the animal. Discover on our site what the clicker is and how it is used. It is a perfect idea if we are thinking of educating our dog since it allows us to "capture" certain behaviors of the dog that we like. If you already know how it works, discover how to load the clicker to start practicing with your dog.
Bad training tools
Scolding and punishing our dog not only raises stress levels, but various studies indicate that there is a greater chance that the dog take longer to learn. We must also remember that after a certain time the dog no longer remembers what he has done wrong and that he shows submission only because he knows that we are angry: he shrinks and is scared because he knows he has done something wrong but does not really understand why.
Punishment methods such as the choke collar or the electric shock collar are very dangerous and negative instruments for the dog since it has been proven that they can make the dog redirect its anger against whoever is close in addition to harming his behavior seriously being able to make our dog aggressive, apathetic or antisocial.
Benefits of positive reinforcement
The truth is that both trainers, educators, ethologists and veterinarians always recommend positive reinforcement in dog education since we do learn in a more fun way that they remember more effectively. In addition, positive reinforcement allows a better relationship between pet and owner, which makes our pet feel loved, feel well-being and open up socially.
It is the ideal type of education for people with no experience in dealing with dogs and for people who already have experience, as it offers the opportunity to positively educate our pet, making it feel happy and respected.
Correct use of positive reinforcement
In our article about teaching a dog to sit you can see how we use food to make the dog perform the trick, and once he has done it, we reward him (we are using positive reinforcement) so that you understand that you have done well. Repeating and continuing to reinforce this command helps the dog to understand that he is doing welland that he is being rewarded for his skills
Incorrect use of positive reinforcement
If we are teaching our dog to give the paw, for example, we must make sure to reward good compliance after he performs it correctly. If we let a lot of time pass between the action and the prize or, on the contrary, we get ahead of ourselves, we are causing the dog to not correctly associate the order with the treat.
Educating at the same time takes time and patience, but something much more important, the precision of rewarding the animal at the right time. In our list of common mistakes when scolding a dog, you can see that the first (and most important) mistake is scolding a dog out of time. This type of attitude harms the animal and generates confusion.
