No doubt you’ve heard of the term “R&R”—as in “I just need some rest and relaxation.” And who doesn’t need a little R&R these days? We work too hard, sometimes we play too hard, and often it’s debatable whether we’re any better for it.
Well, your dog needs a little R&R in her life, too. I don’t mean rest and relaxation here, although it certainly is true that dogs do need those things to function properly. What I’m really referring to is “Recognize and Reward.” More specifically, your dog needs to be recognized and rewarded for good behavior.
You may have heard this concept referred to as mark and feed, or click and treat, or maybe another term. Essentially, it means to identify the moment your dog is doing something correctly and then offer a reward, or something of value, to your dog.
Recognize and reward might look something like this: Dog sits down when asked, you say “Yes!” and then you give your dog a small “pea-sized” morsel of food. Or instead, you might say “Good” to recognize the behavior, and then throw a favorite toy as the reward.
Remember, treats aren’t the only form of reward. Your dog enjoys other things, too. She might love the opportunity to play with you (like a nice game of tug), or enjoy the chance to go outside and splash in a kiddie pool. Many dogs just like the chance just to interact with their owners (like in the form of petting and verbal praise). However, the formula of Recognize + Reward equals fostering good behavior in your dog.
And there’s no better reason to recognize and reward your dog than for doing absolutely nothing. “What? Reward my dog for doing nothing?” That’s right! Sometimes the best way for dog-owning humans to get some R&R for themselves is to recognize when our dogs are being calm and then offer a nice reward for it. How many times have you come home from work and were just simply exhausted? All you want to do is flip on the evening news and catch up on the day. But the dog is chewing up the curtains, stealing dinner off the counter and nipping at the children’s ankles. It’s times like these that we tend to only notice our dog’s standout bad behaviors.
Try changing your focus from seeing only the bad things to identifying the times your dog is not causing trouble. For example, when sitting on the couch, try tethering your dog to the couch by a leash, or step on your dog’s leash so they can’t stray far from you. Your dog will soon realize that there’s nowhere to go. Wait for your dog to lay down and relax, then in a low, slow voice say “Good” and then slowly deliver a piece of kibble to your dog, or something even better. If your voice and treat delivery are too upbeat or dramatic, though, chances are your dog will pop right back up from excitement and you’ll have to start all over again.
Another great idea for recognizing and rewarding your dog comes from expert trainer, Kathy Sdao, and her book, Plenty in Life is Free. She recommends placing 50 pieces of kibble in a bowl on the countertop each day – or somewhere out of reach of your dog – and make it a point to recognize and reward your dog 50 times a day for good behavior. Remember, the more good behavior is rewarded, the more likely that behavior is to increase.
It may sound like a lot at first, but you’ll be surprised at how easy it can be when you recognize that your dog isn’t being bad all the time. And soon, if you start incorporating your dog’s R&R training during your own rest and relaxation times, you’ll discover a much more enjoyable time for everyone!
Sarah Hoth, owner of The Persuaded Pooch, is a certified positive trainer through the Karen Pryor Academy and trains dog obedience class and private lessons at the PetsWay in St. Louis, MO. For more information about The Persuaded Pooch and their dog training and dog walking services, visit www.persuadedpooch.com.