Let's Discuss Day 1 of the 7-day Mini Course!

[Adina P]

Day 1 is titled "Finding Effective Reinforcers"

Now that you've read through Day 1 of the 7 Day Mini Course...feel free to post your thoughts, questions about the lesson here. Also any suggestions or results from your homework!

[Adina P]

For my dogs ANY delivery of treats is the best thing ever! =) So they are never bored even if I stood there and fed them treats all day ... LOL. They are ready to eat every second I swear!

But I think the "keep them guessing" really helps. If your treats are always in a fanny pack...then your dog may not think there is a possibility of a reward coming if you are not wearing your fanny pack. In real life sometimes you may not have on a fanny pack. SO you must train for real life and have many options. I've put treats in a dish on a bookshelf so they are not clearly visible. When clicker training we want the dogs working for the HOPE of a treat, not necessarily because they SEE one.

ANOTHER important reason is when you teach a static exercise like "sit" or "down" or "stand" ... if your dog is sitting (standing, in a down, etc) and you click and then hand them the treat...they are still sitting and then how do you get another click in? Well you can't. So for such things it is often recommended that you toss the treat so they have to get up to get it and then they can, once again, prove they know what you're looking for by offering a sit (or stand, or down).

[LeAnn, Lucy & Rusty!!]

I inadvertantly trained Rusty to sit in FRONT of me by always feeding treats to him that way.. then when he's heeling and we stop and I say SIT he walks in front and sits. As soon as my trainer pointed out what I was doing, I corrected MY behavior by feeding him the treat down by the outside of my knee. Now, Rusty walks nicely on a heel and sits right next to my leg! No more tripping over him!!

[Jeanette]

Bow Wow! Love the discussion and ideas! Thanks ladies! This is going to be fun!

Only thing I can think of that has not been mentioned is the can of cheese that you push the nozzle and it spreads the cheese. Used to put it on dumbells for the big retrieve!!! Great for target behaviors.

Sadie's hierarchy of treats are leftover steak or roast cut into teeny pieces, chicken, hot dogs, cheese. Tennis ball and a bear rub down works well too!

[Adina P]

Yes ... Cheese Whiz!

[Holly Paterniti]

WOW....to tell you the truth, I would of never thought of using all these different types of food because I am always worried about giving Bear human food........I think it is because I was always told growing up to NEVER give dogs people food because then they will start begging.

I actually went out to look for a new tray for Bear's crate because it is cracking and I found these cute little sausages made by Merrick that could be cut up and used. I really do not think they cost too bad......the were $.98 each. So I bought a few to see how they work out.

Looking forward to lesson 2 :) tonight :)

When should we expect it?

[Doodle Kisses]

You should get the 2nd lesson the day after you got the 1st :)
I think the way dogs learn to beg is when they get food from you that YOU are eating...or at the table or cooking. Do you know what I mean? So when they BEG (even sitting and staring when you didn't ask...can be begging) you and you give IN you are rewarding the begging.

But simply USING people food for training doesn't necessarily yield begging.

[Doodle Kisses]

P.S. these are just ideas sooo...if you find doggy treats he goes nuts for that is GREAT!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I have a chihuahua currently and hope to have a doodle sometime soon (keeping my fingers crossed that next week's litter is big enough for me:)), but....my current dog absolutely loves Little Buddies (aka Buddy Biscuits), they are all natural treats that are the perfect size for training. Every dog I know goes crazy for them. Also apples and carrots are a very special treat for him. I am like Holly - am not used to giving "human" food to dogs because I have my little guy who tends to have a very sensitive stomach. He gets apples and carrots for a big treat, so my doodle will probably get something similar, with some suprises like cheese. Love the babybel idea.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Hannah has always been a very very picky eater, so she really hates Hot Dogs, so we use bacon and string cheese to train with her. Honey will probably use the same. I like to get the butterball Turkey bacon, and this is one of Hannahs most favorite treats. When I work with Hannah, I keep Honey in her crate in my bedroom, and Hannah will do the same when I am working with Honey. I really would love to do this program with Honey, but not sure at this point if we can. I must also comment so far the 49.95 is a fantastic deal if this is the price, however right now is not good timing for me to be putting out another dime, as my car is now overheating and needs work done on it....

[Linda and Murphy]

Okay Murphy's treats.

1. Cheez Wiz (only used for weave poles..highest value. He literally turns into a "cheese head" and cannot think beyond "gimme cheez ...gimme cheez" ..gonna get one of those Green Bay Packers hats for him)
2 Cesar dog food ( I put this and peanut butter in a squeeze tube ..from camping supplies.)
3. Peanut butter
4. Nutro's blueberry treats (they also have carrot and apple)

Anything else. The "soft treats" have a lot of salt in them so they drink more water.

[Linda and Murphy]

He only gets it for the weave poles. At class, when we first started, they put it on a plastic spatula/spoon and I led him through the weaves with it, holding him back with the leash and the spoon just out of reach. Now that he can do the weaves, I just give it to him from the can.
If he sees the cheez wiz he goes straight for the weave poles.
I love the everlasting treat ball...I just can't afford to put treats in it daily! When I leave for work in the morning I give him that or another long lasting treat. That way he knows I won't be right back and can plan his day. lol

[Linda and Murphy]

LOL Well, the first one lasted about a week, The second, about 4 days. Now we don't get a full day out of it...and I have the large one.