Episode 205: The Hidden World Of Reinforcement For Dogs And Why You Need To Know

To become great at reinforcement-based dog training, you have to get great at the use of reinforcement. I’m covering the hidden world of reinforcers for dogs and why to know the what, when, where and who of
reinforcement. It goes well beyond the use of training treats and toy rewards. Awareness of everything reinforcing gives exponential ways to multiply the value of reinforcement in your dog training and to understand your dog's behavior.

In the episode you'll hear:

How to identify your dog’s hidden reinforcers and leverage them to your advantage.
The clear definition of what reinforcement truly is.
Examples of what a dog finds reinforcing and the influence of when, where and with whom it’s experienced.
How different conditions can multiply or nullify the value of a reinforcer.
When water makes a great reinforcer and a tip to increase its value when appropriate.
That you don’t need super high value reinforcement every time you train.
How interaction and your body language reinforces your dog.
What you need to know about negative reinforcement for unwanted behaviors.
Why the things that lead to dogs chasing are reinforcing.
Types of destructive and productive activities dogs find rewarding.
That where you train, and the conditions greatly impact your training success.
Why every distraction outside of fear is reinforcing to your dog.
Why movement, like a flirt pole, is sometimes better than food rewards around distractions.
What to use to your advantage to create more value for reinforcements when training.