(photo credit)

Nearly every training article, book, and class you check out will tell you to reward your dog for complying with a command — usually the reward is a treat. What many of them don’t address, however, is that not every dog is motivated by food!

What do you do if your dog isn’t food-motivated?

If you’ve ever watched dogs being trained to do police work, you’ve seen dogs rewarded with non-food items. Tennis balls and tug items are quite popular. For protection dogs, the reward is to get the sleeve. For drug dogs, it’s the scented item (the handler keeps an alternative in the pocket to substitute for real drug finds) or a ball.

When your dog really wants something — ANYTHING — getting it is a reward. Some possible rewards:

• Squeeky toy tossed
• A short game of tug
• Ball tossed
• Verbal praise
• Physical praise (pet him)
• A minute off leash
• Getting to bark, howl, or “talk” for a minute
• Jumping around or running for a minute
• Getting to sit or lie down and relax for a minute

Does the dog want to go outside? Have him sit, then let him out. Letting him out is a reward for sitting first. Does he want your attention? Have him sit or lie down first. You have opportunities all day long to reward him for complying with a command, if you pay attention.

If your dog performs an action and something nice happens, that motivates him to do it again. If he performs an action and something undesirable happens, he is less likely to do that again. A classic example is training your dog to come when called. Many people make the mistake of calling the dog and then making him come in the house, leave the park, get a bath, or go in his crate. The dog comes when called and something bad happens! How long do you think he’ll keep coming when you call him? If instead he comes when you call him and you give him a pat, a toy, or a treat and set him free again, that’s a double reward. He gets the goody AND he gets to go free again. Freedom is a reward because it’s a lot more fun than the alternative.

If you want a dog that is happy to learn and work for you, you HAVE to know what he loves. What motivates THIS dog to work? What is his favorite food? What is his favorite toy? What excites him? Does he prefer fetch or tug? My dog, Ripley, thinks fetch is a chore, but she loves nothing more than a rough game of tug.

You also need to be aware of the environment in which you’re working with your dog. A high distraction environment is going to require a better reward than what you give out in the living room. When Ripley and I practice in the house, Milk Bones are a fine treat. When we’re out at the mall, the dog park, or the pet store, it’s time for the hot dogs and cheese.

All normal, healthy dogs are motivated by something. That something just isn’t always food. It’s up to you to get to know your dog, and learn about him as much as he learns about you.

So, what motivates your dog? Share with us in the comments!

(Image Credit)

I read a little blurb on the news today about the House banning pet rental companies. It got me thinking. I belong to several Yahoo groups that have to do with animal rescue, as well as some LiveJournal comms about animals.

Frequently, people post that they want a dog or a cat, but don’t know what breed to get. They might be unsure of the time requirements, their ability to handle the training, or their commitment to the animal.

We give those people the same advice. Try before you buy.

I’m not saying you should rent a pet. Far from it. There is a way to try a pet on for size, so to speak, without making the lifetime commitment that buying a pet entails.

Become a foster home.

Many private animal rescue organizations, breed rescues, and humane societies place their adoptable pets into private foster homes. Dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, even ferrets and bunnies go to private homes where they can be in an environment free from the stress of a cage in a noisy shelter.  In an environment closer to the home where they will eventually live, they can maintain better potty habits and social skills. When someone is interested in adopting an animal, they can either visit the foster family or the foster family brings the pet to a common location such as a local pet store.

It takes a big heart to be a foster home for a pet in need. You have to able able to let them go when its time. There are many benefits and rewards to being a foster home, though.

• You get to see what it’s like to care for a particular dog or cat. See if a puppy fits into your life. See if you can handle training a cat not to claw the couch. Will you really have time to walk the dog EVERY day?
• You usually do not have to pay the vet expenses. You might even get a break on food and supplies.
• You may have first dibbs on the dog or cat if you fall in love with it.
• If you’re a dog lover, you can always have a puppy!
• If you’re a cat lover, you can always have kittens!
• Free training advise and help from the organization. Learn how to train the pet. You can consider it on the job training.
• You helped save a life. That’s one hell of a reward for any animal lover.

Getting a dog or a cat is a lifetime commitment to that animal. The last thing we need is more homeless pets; millions are killed every year in shelters already. Be a part of the solution — FOSTER!

(credit)

Most people know that chocolate can be deadly to dogs. It may seem like common sense, but I have to say it. Dogs are not humans. We can eat, digest, and process things that they cannot. And vice versa, as anyone who feeds their dogs a BARF diet can tell you. Dogs are far less likely to get salmonella poisoning, because their bodies kill it more efficiently than ours (though they can pass it on via their stool, they are asymptomatic).

A new chemical has proven itself to be harmless to humans, but deadly to dogs. Xylitol.

Innocuously hiding in many brands of sugar-free gum, this artificial sweetener (it’s a sugar alcohol) has the potential to cause near immediate insulin surges and even destroy a dog’s liver within a day.

Here is a link to the snopes article.

It takes only one pack of gum sweetened with Xylitol to kill a large dog. Only a couple pieces for a smaller dog.

While the danger has been known for years, it hasn’t been publicized the way chocolate toxicity has. Please help spread the word to all your fellow dog lovers.

Please click the link below to read about Solo, a rescued Boxer, and donate to help for his care. If everyone who hears about him donates just $1, and passes it on to 10 friends who donate $1, who pass it on to 10 friends, and so on, we can make a difference!

“Rarely have we ever seen a case of cruelty so horrific that is makes you physically sick to just look at the dog. Solo is an absolute wonderful and sweet boxer. He has a fabulous personality and is a total lover. Solo is just 4 yrs old and has already had a horrible life!!

Solo should weigh about 50-55 pounds. Instead his current weight is barely 25 pounds!! His pictures show just how shocking and horrible that is! Solo was owner surrendered to a local shelter due to cost. His old owners are now being investigated as a cruelty case. Solo was hours away from being humanely euthanized due to his horribly malnourished condition, but the shelter waited until Rescue Farm came to see him. Of course we took Solo without a second thought!!”

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=10883223

Thanks!

A story has been making the rounds about a man who hit and killed a dog that bolted into the road. The man is proceeding to sue the family for damages. The family, of course, is counter-suing.

I believe events such as animals and children doing unpredictable things that cause damage are called accidents. I also believe there is this lovely new invention called “insurance“. You pay a company money, and when an accident happens, they pay for damages. Amazing!

We as pet owners can try to control and contain our animals to the best of our abilities, but accidents DO happen. Compassion means not suing people over accidents. If you disagree, perhaps you need to reacquaint yourself with the term, as you seem to have it mixed up with greedy bastard. Compassion means wanting to help. Suing, well, just not that helpful, I’m afraid.
I am sickened by the notion of a grieving family being sued by the very man who killed their pet. Troglodytes with the compassion of a wild hyena might agree with him, but I’m afraid I’ll have to beg to disagree.

This lawsuit needs thrown out of court, and this guy’s insurance company should pony up for a new heart and soul for the man while they’re repairing his car.

Think I’m right on? Think I’m an complete idiot? Tell me in the comments.