Where is the Paycheck?
It is the ultimate goal of many dog owners to not rely on rewards for their dogs compliance of common commands. While this is a fantastic goal, it can be unrealistic to a certain degree. Dogs, just like humans, expect a paycheck in some form in order to perform with motivation, joy, and accuracy. If you knew you would never receive a paycheck again, how long would you continue to show up to your job? Would you show up early and stay late? Would you take initiative on new projects and tasks? You may go to work for a few weeks or even months if you enjoy your line of work but after a while your enthusiasm would likely fizzle and you would start to pursue alternate interests such as hobbies and social outlets.
The same can be said for our dogs. In the absence of a paycheck their enthusiasm will fizzle and they will start to pursue alternative interests such as sniffing, crittering, pulling, socializing with other dogs, jumping, etc.
Alternatives to Food: Play
Thankfully a paycheck does not always have to take the form of food! Many dogs are motivated by play and reinforcers found in the environment. Is your dog crazy about tug? Does your dog love picking up sticks? What about sniffing? All of those things can be used as reinforcement for complying with commands!
The answer for reducing food reinforcement largely lies with play. All play is not made equally. Throwing a ball 10 times for your dog is not the same as a game of tug though they both have their time and place.
What makes a game of tug fun is the challenge and the intimacy. A good game of tug should make the dog feel empowered, like they outsmarted you and really won! The game should be dynamic, full of movement, fake outs, and mini wins. Think about what you see when watching two dogs play with each other. In good play you will witness dogs taking turns being the winner, being cheeky, and taking breaks from wrestling to run! The more you emulate this with your toy play the better.
Now compare what was described above to playing a repetitive game of fetch at the park. Fetch lacks a challenge, intimacy, and dynamic movement. It is a given that your dog will get the ball and the movement is incredibly repetitive. That being said, many dogs are only interested in playing with balls and do not have much interest in other toys. To help bring your game of tug alive, consider switching to a ball on a rope. This will allow you to hold the rope and tease your dog with the ball playing a short game of keep away before throwing the ball. This will add challenge and dynamic movement to the game! It is also fun to restrain your dog, throw the ball a short distance, and race your dog to the ball! It is almost a given your dog will win but again this adds challenge and another layer of intimacy to the game.
Alternatives to Food: Praise
Praise can also be a wonderful motivator when used thoughtfully. When using praise as a motivator we must be conscious of how much we are using our voice. Constantly repeating "Good Dog!” is equivalent to luring our dogs with a piece of food. When overused the praise can quickly lose all value.
When you praise your dog, think about taking a moment to connect with your dog. Use a tone that reflects your pride in your dog's performance in a calm and soothing manner. You can accompany this praise with a gentle rub on the chest. There is a time and a place for lively, over the top praise but it can be difficult for some dogs to gear shift. If I am working on teaching my dog to stay I want my dog in a calm and still mindset. Using over the top petting and praise is a massive mental shift from my target behavior of stay. In that moment calm, gentle praise would be the best choice. Alternatively if I am teaching my dog to come when called I want my dog to be incredibly enthusiastic! This would be a far more appropriate time to use highly lively praise and petting.
Alternatives to Food: The Environment
Sometimes permission to engage with the environment is the greatest reward of all. Think of this as a “eat your veggies and then you get dessert” situation. Say you are on a walk at the park and your dog keeps eying the grass field. Your dog has done a fantastic join maintaining heel position and you would like to reward the behavior. As a reward for heeling next to the enticing grass, what would be more motivating, a few treats or the opportunity to sniff the grass and explore at the park they have been eyeing? The vast majority of dogs would accept the food but would find exploring at the park more rewarding.
Pay attention to where your dog places value in regards to the environment. Some dogs enjoy calm sniffing while others enjoy opportunities to sprint. Every dog is different and is uniquely motivated. Learn who your dog is as an individual and tailor your rewards accordingly.
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