Why We Provide Gundog Training Using Positive Reinforcement
We provide modern gundog training using positive reinforcement because this has been scientifically proven to work.
Through research and numerous studies, we now know that dogs don’t see us as other dogs. They see us as an entirely different species.
All the theories about needing to dominate dogs to show them that we are alpha should now be consigned to the history books. It has been proven, time after time and conclusively, that Dominance Theory is completely flawed and actually quite dangerous.
Click here to read: 7 Things Traditional Gundog Trainers Won’t Tell You
Quite simply, dogs (like humans), respond better to rewards than being punished.
How Humans and Dogs Learn
What’s In It For Me
To see the similarities between how humans and dogs learn, we can take a look at Bill.
Every day, Bill arrives at the office. Habitually, he puts money into a vending machine to buy a cup of coffee. His choice over whether he does this the next day depends on the outcome from the last:
Good Outcome
Bill has previously put his money in the vending machine and received a cup of coffee in return. Bill repeats this behaviour every day because it has previously lead to what he wanted; a cup of coffee.
Bad Outcome
One day the machine gave Bill coffee that contained milk which was beyond its use-by date. Annoyingly for Bill, it was undrinkable and tasted sour. He decided not to put any more money in the machine due to his bad experience.
No Outcome
One day the vending machine was broken. Not realising this was the case, Bill put his money in the slot, just like he did every day. This time, he didn’t receive a cup of coffee. Thinking this was odd, he tried again. He even changed his choice from black to white coffee. But, still no coffee. Frustrated, he gave the machine a good thump and complained loudly. Eventually, though, he decided not to keep putting precious coins into the machine.
When sizing up any given situation, the average gundog chooses his behaviour in the same way. The choice of behaviour is based upon the outcome remembered from past experiences.
Dogs are motivated on the basis of ‘What’s In It For Me’ .
They are likely to repeat a behaviour that leads to a desirable outcome. In contrast, they will cease behaviours that lead to a bad, or undesirable outcome.
Gundog Training Using Positive Reinforcement
The methods that have been scientifically proven to work best in dog training are based on rewarding desired behaviours in order to encourage dogs to repeat them. This, for the dog, is the Good Outcome scenario above.
Gundog Training using Positive Reinforcement is entirely based on this theory.
Positive Reinforcement is defined as:
- The term ‘positive’ is often confused with being something nice for the dog. Actually, it is mathematical in nature, the word ‘positive’ refers the addition of something.
- The term ‘reinforcement’ is the bit that dogs find rewarding (or reinforcing).
So, Gundog Training using Positive Reinforcement is about providing the dog with something it likes and which makes a behaviour more likely to be repeated.
Why We Use Food Treats
We use food as a reward quite commonly for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is portable and can be stored easily in a bag or pocket.
It is also disposable and so, once given, it doesn’t have to be taken back from the dog. Unlike a ball, for example.
Lastly, food is a primary resource and without it, all animals would die. Therefore, there is a strong likelihood that dogs will see food treats as desirable, i.e. a Good Outcome as seen above.
Food Doesn’t Always Have to Be the Reinforcer
The reinforcement does not have to come from food, it can come from anything that a dog finds rewarding.
Each dog finds different things rewarding (or reinforcing) and so it is important to bear this in mind when selecting the rewards we provide in training.
Most gundogs love nothing more than the chance to retrieve an object and so this becomes the reward. So much so, that food should generally be avoided in training retrieving because it encourages dogs to spit out their retrieve in order to eat the food.
Care should be exercised in the choice of rewards. It should be remembered that many owners choice of the words “good dog” and a pat on the head isn’t that desirable to most dogs. Not as much as a tasty food treat, or the chance to run after an object such as a tennis ball.
But Surely I’ll Need to Use Food to Get My Dog To Do Anything?
People often ask how they can get a dog to behave in a certain way without the use of food. The correct way to use of food rewards in training is commonly misunderstood. There is a belief that if food treats are used, they will always be needed.
Where many handlers go wrong, is by relying on food to obtain the desired behaviour in the first place. We’ve all seen the owner that walks around with a piece of sausage held above their dog’s nose in an attempt to get them to walk by their side. Actually, they are not training their dog at all.
Food used in this way is known as a lure and is effectively a bribe. It doesn’t teach the dog anything or change their underlying motivation. As a result, as soon as the bribe is removed, the behaviour ceases to occur.
Food helps learning to occur, but only if given as a reward. As with all rewards, they come after the behaviour and not before.
Food given as a reward afterwards reinforces the behaviour and makes it likely to be repeated.
Rewards can become less frequent in nature over time. Just remember that dogs are like humans, they are motivated by what’s in it for them.
The reward doesn’t always have to be food. It’s just that, if there is never any form of reinforcement, the behaviour will eventually fade. The equivalent of putting money in a vending machine and getting nothing back.