Reinforcement is something that will create or continue a habit.
It consists of anything which benefits the animal.
There are two kinds of reinforcements.
o Positive
o Negative
Positive reinforces are divided into 2 categories.
o Primary - These are very powerful since they consist of things that are needed for survival. Such as food or water.
o Secondary - These are things like saying "good boy!"
If we call our dog, and give him a treat when he comes and say "good boy", this reinforces him doubly. After some time the "good boy" becomes very strong and could become a primary reinforcer.
Food is the primary reinforcer, and petting or patting is secondary. Most likely a dog will always choose food over petting. But when used together they become stronger.
Here are 6 advantages of positive reinforcement.
1. Your dog chooses to respond to your signals because it enjoys the food given.
2. Your dog develops an excellent relationship with you because it is never forced to respond against its will.
3. Your dog develops a bold outgoing attitude because it never learns to fear you or its environment.
4. Your dog is very eager to learn because you never have to punish it.
5. Many lessons can be learnt when the puppy is very young and in a short time.
6. The behavior learnt by this method will last for life provided it is reinforced occasionally.
There are only 2 disadvantages to using the positive reinforcement.
1. It is not instant learning, it does take time. Most dogs will learn with 4 to 6 repetitions, some may take up to a dozen.
2. Your dog must have a normal healthy appetite and therefore can me motivated by food. It is best to do this reinforcement before feeding time rather than after.
Just as a side note: It is very hard to train a dog that is frightened. Fear will override all other responses. If a dog has been exposed to harsh treatment, it will take some time for them to respond to positive reinforcement.
Look for my next article on "Punishment and Negative Reinforcement"
To a happy healthy dog.
Betty Bulldog
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