Excerpt from “The Science of Strategic Reinforcement: When, Where, and How to Reward” written by Jubie Rueschenberg:
Dog training appears to be an art, but it is really very scientific, and the primary component in the science of dog training is when, where, and how to reward. Bob Bailey, an applied behavior analyst who is a pioneer in operant-based animal training, says, “Training is mechanical.” Basically, if you focus on your mechanical skills you can increase the dog’s rate of learning. These mechanical skills include timing, setting criteria, improving the rate of reinforcement, and where you deliver the reward. Understanding when, where, and how to reward your dog for a particular behavior takes a lot of the mystery out of training.”
For the full article which includes:
- Placement of Rewards
- Marking the Behavior and When to Reward
- Choosing a Reward
- Avoiding the Mistake of Devaluing the Reward
- What Happens if the Dog Fails?
- Examples of Strategic Reinforcement in Agility (pictures)
Download the article (originally published in Clean Run Magazine): The Science of Strategic Reinforcement - When, Where, and How to Reward (1891 downloads)