Rewards For Dogs: Considerations And Advice
We know that the greatest reward for our furry friends is the smile on our lips and the love we give them. But sometimes we also want to pamper them a little or motivate them a little more. What can we give our dog as a reward ? Are there different options? Which snacks are healthy for our four-pawed friend?
Today we will give you answers to all of these questions:
On what occasion should the dog get a reward?
We can offer a reward to our dog on many occasions . We usually give him a treat when we’re teaching him something, like a seat or a paw. Once he learns, we often no longer give him any reward for the behavior. But there are many moments when we can reward our furry friend. For example:
- The dog behaves in a way that we like. If we usually ask him to release the sofa to us and he willingly does it once before receiving the order, then he has earned a reward.
- It stops bad behavior. For example, there is food on the table. The dog sees it, but does not succumb to the temptation to steal it.
- We’re teaching him something new right now. The dog is not yet completing the command correctly, but is approaching the target. He’s just learning space. Even if he doesn’t lie down completely yet, we reward him when he begins to bend over.
- When he comes up to us in the park, regardless of whether we called him beforehand or not. Whenever he interrupts his activity to come to us, he should always be commended and rewarded for it. It means he will take care of us and keep an eye on us.
- Just for the fun of it. We have a dog who usually behaves well. We would like to thank him for his loyalty, friendship and patience.
At what point do we reward our fur nose
We should only reward behavior that we would like to see again. Just don’t reward your dog if he has just barked at someone of its own species or rummaged through the garbage. We should focus on the behaviors that we like.
The moment is more important than the actual reward we give it. A reward at the right time clearly tells the dog that he has done something right. Only in this way will he repeat the behavior. We should reward him immediately after he does something right. If we wait a few seconds with the treat, it becomes more difficult for him to relate the behavior to the reward.
What not to give a dog as a reward?
When we reward our dog, it should be healthy, species-appropriate treats that provide some nutritional value for the dog.
If we teach our pup to sit, lie down, or shake paws, we will surely spend a few days repeating the commands. So we’re going to get him some treats. Just because of the amount of treats, they have to be healthy. He must not eat any foods that make him fat or make him sick.
The reward should be small and appropriate for the size of the dog. The chunks of sausage for a Maltese will not be the same size as those for a Belgian Shepherd. Another thing to keep in mind when choosing snacks is that the teeth of a puppy, an adult dog, and an older dog are not all equally strong.
The most important thing, of course, is that the fur nose tastes it. After all, we cannot reward her with something she does not like, otherwise it is no longer a reward. The more difficult the trick, the tastier the reward should be so that the effort is worth it.
What can you use as a treat?
We usually give bits of food as a reward, but to do this we also have to reduce the normal ration a bit. The rewards are an extra, not a bribe, to avoid hunger .
It actually depends on the taste of each dog. You can use the following snacks:
- sausages suitable for human consumption
- Pieces of hard cheese
- cooked ham or cold cuts
- Dog cookies
- Wet food for dogs
- Dry food with a new taste
More rewards
We can also reward our fur nose with things that are not food and that they like. She also sees caresses as a reward. Other dogs love toys to chew on. You can give it to them as a reward.
The better you know the animal’s taste, the more appropriately you can choose the best reward for it. We can try different things. The dog’s reaction tells us which one he likes the most.
