Positive Reinforcement and the Power of Distraction

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

28 Oct 2009 10:33 AM

I try very hard to be a positive reinforcement trainer with my dogs, and not a negative reinforcement. Some days it works better than others.

When we're out walking, I've got a constant stream of chatter going -- encouragement and praise, mostly, though sometimes, I also just talk to them about what they're doing. If the dogs are doing something right, I tell them.

It's when the dogs are doing something wrong that I sometimes run into trouble. Lally is generally easy to correct. A light tug on the leash or saying her name is enough to get her attention 99 times out of 100. Moose is especially difficult to work with. Let me preface this with the fact that his former owners surrendered him to a shelter because he was "too stubborn". I'm still not convinced it's stubbornness -- I think maybe he's just slow in the brain department and easily distracted.

If something catches Moose's attention, I often have a hard time getting it back. Sometimes, he comes if I call his name. Sometimes, he comes if I give a little tug on the leash. Sometimes, he responds to a whistle, or a clap. Sometimes, I have to physically touch him to get his attention. It's never the same thing twice in a row, which can be very frustrating for me!

A training book I really like talks a lot about distraction. If your dog is fixated on something (a person, another dog, a treat, etc), then they aren't paying attention to you. If you can distract your dog away from the object, then you can get their attention and get things back in control.

I try to use the distraction technique a lot. If we're walking and another dog shows up, I turn us around and go a different way. On landscaping days, when the dogs want to run from window to window barking their fool heads off, I have a few distraction tricks. One is to close dogs and myself up in whatever room is farthest away from the landscaping work -- windows closed and TV on to muffle the noise from outside.

Another is long-lasting treats. My dogs won't go for a rawhide or other chewing treat on a daily basis, but at once a week (landscaping day!) they're a good distraction. While the dogs are happily working on their rawhides, I get some blessedly bark-free time. The lure of the rare treat is stronger than the noise and motion of the landscapers.

I don't believe training is a once-and-done kind of thing. It's a lifelong process! Plus, training is a good way to bond with your pups... you get to spend time together working towards a common goal.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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