By Heidi Clayton
My dog training business is primarily focused on reward-based and positive motivation training. I have found that reward-based training is the most effective way to train my dogs. To teach my dogs new skills, I use rewards to elicit the behaviors I want them to learn. I also reinforce what behaviors I would like them to repeat, such as not jumping on strangers. This week, we are going to talk about the use of lures in training your dog.
One of the most effective ways you can teach a puppy a skill and get them excited about learning is to use a lure with food to entice them to perform the task at hand. For example, when teaching a puppy to sit, you would put a treat in your hand, holding your arm at your side, and then bend your arm at the elbow upward, taking the treat right past the dog’s nose, luring his head up and waiting for the butt to touch the floor. When the dog is in the sit position, praise them by saying “good sit” and give them the treat. Using a lure to maneuver a dog into any position is effective. It teaches them to be excited about learning by having a positive association with the entire process because they get treats for doing it right.
Some argue that luring is essentially bribing. This comes from the concept that your dog or puppy is only doing the required task to get the treat. In the beginning, I do not disagree with that notion. When I place a delicious piece of chicken in my hand, I know that the smell is what my puppy’s nose is following when trying to teach them something. However, I am also accompanying the lure with a hand signal that I will pair with the act I am teaching like bending the arm upwards for sit. The bribe is called the “rate of reinforcement” in dog training, and it should start to decrease once your dog is consistently following that hand signal or performing the task the first time they are asked. Once I think that my dogs understand a skill, I reduce my rate of treat reinforcement and mix it with simple praise. Regardless of how long I use a lure to train with, I always verbally praise my dogs when they get it right.
The treat that you use can also make a difference in your dog’s desire to produce success. At home, I can use something boring like cheese or a carrot. At a dog show where the distractions can render me invisible, I am offering chicken or beef to keep my dogs focused on me. When showing a puppy, I will use something like steak, and there is a high rate of reinforcement for behavior. Of course, the goal is to reduce the rate at which steak is doled out once they learn what is expected from them. The rate of reinforcement is always higher for my young puppies when starting out.
There is no harm in using treats to train your dogs. If you have a heavy treat day during training, you can reduce the amount of dinner offered. Every dog that comes to me for training is always very happy to be there when they know cheese will be distributed when they get it right. Keep your dog happy about training and give luring a try.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
