Quote:
Originally Posted by amerique2
I'm having fun, fun, fun watching these videos you've posted. Paris has got it down.
Now for a question---I was reading a book by Karen Pryor's and she mentions that eventually you only reward them with food randomly, so they don't expect a treat every time. I'd like to train with food and clicker but don't want Rebel to only do what he's supposed to do when there is food involved. How do you transition? Do they eventually obey on command without the clicker and without the food? The obedience instructor I'm now going to doesn't use food as a motivator because he says that you don't want them only obeying for a food reward. Help me understand, please.
|
Yeah, once the dog has it down pretty well, where they're performing the behavior just how you want it using the treats, then you start to phase out the treats. You can do like she does with Paris and substitute click/treat for other rewards. You can also just start giving him treats for doing it a little less often. Like every third or fourth time Rebel does the trick you give him praise or something in place of a treat.
As you start to hold off on treats more and more often, then every now and then you give him a jackpot of treats (like, lots and lots of awesome treats at once). Basically, Rebel never knows when he's going to get something amazing. After a while you can just about phase out the treats completely.
Does that make sense? I'm not sure if I worded it in a way that makes sense.