02/17/2025
Knowledge-
Repetition-
Patience-
Praise- who among us works for the sole satisfaction of a job well done? I know is don't. We all need well timed praise and payment for what we have accomplished, or otherwise what was the point?
Praise is overdone by some and nonexistent by others. It works best when timed with an appropriate response to our cue to perform a specific behavior. If we ask for and receive a sit, we must offer praise as recognition of a job well done. It should be well timed, within 1.7 seconds, and be meaningful, in a pleasant tone that differs from the monotone delivery of a cue or gruff delivery of a verbal correction.
If you find yourself saying "good dog" for no particular reason ask yourself "what behavior am I reinforcing?" Don't randomly and arbitrarily praise him for just existing, or worse yet inadvertently reward an inappropriate behavior.
Be intentional with your praise, well timed and properly toned if you want to send the message "yes, that behavior right there, that's what I need from you". Your dog is much more likely to repeat that cued response when properly praised and rewarded....
Correction-
Consistency-