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Ask Yvette

Dear Yvette,

We have a dog and have been told to give him treats for behaving. I have a problem with this. I don't want to bribe my dog. How do I get him to respect me and behave because it's what I told him to do?

Bill

Many people resist using food as part of their pet's training program for this reason. Some people feel that behaving for food does not fit with a dog's lifestyle in the wild. We have images of wolves who battle for rank firmly planted in our minds. We have been convinced that this is nature's way.

But, food actually plays a fundamental role in the lives of all animals. Lions hunt. Rodents search for food. Some animals even store food for winter weather. Even people work for food. We go to work in order to bring home the bacon.

The only exception seems to be our domesticated pets. We place food in the bowls of dogs, cats and birds. The job the animals would do naturally is taken away from them. We expect them to behave despite removing a large portion of their natural daily activity.

With plenty of spare time and no need to work, is it any wonder that many pets engage in activities that drive us crazy?

Food provides motivation. It can also provide feedback. I can be used to tell an animal, “What you are doing is exactly correct.” But there are other advantages to using food.

Food creates compliance and creates a working relationship. No amount of rewards will fix a bitter environment. You will only obtain half hearted results much like a low paid employee that dislikes their boss. Leadership skills combined with a fair paycheck go a long way in creating loyalty and hard work.

Food also transfers the control to the human. Since the human controls the rewards, the animal is automatically placed in a submissive position. He who controls the resources controls the animal.

No animal behaves because it is the right thing to do. They do not operate on a moral value system. Animals can be motivated through positive reinforcements such as food, toys and attention. They can also be motivated by negative consequences such as fear, punishment, threats and so forth. But make no mistake, consequences are controlling the animal. Respect and matters of right and wrong have nothing to do with it. Those are human values.

Refusing to use food or toys is in my opinion a waste of potential tools. You can ask a dog to sit for their dinner. They can be taught to lie down before getting a chew bone. You can ask your dog to come when called and then pull out a fetch toy. Why give away free goodies and stand there empty handed? Of course, you want to ensure the animal works a level where they can successfully earn their full meal. Food training should not result in a hungry dog.

Working for resources is part of nature. It is part of a complete package that includes routine setting, habit formation and consistency. If creating respect is of concern, then giving free rewards seems to me to be counterproductive. You run the risk of spoiling the animal.

You also potentially create a situation where the animal is without a job. And animals without a job will fill the void. The question is whether you will appreciate the extracurricular activities your pet will choose.

Yvette is an award winning pet writer and pet behavior columnist. She also is the author of Meeting Milo, a North American dog bite prevention program to reduce the approximately 2 million children bit by dogs annually. She is the owner of AwesomeDogs.ca and works as a behavior consultant in London, Ontario.

This column was originally featured in The Londoner
See more of Yvette... www.awesomedogs.ca
www.meetingmilo.com

Yvette has 2 dogs of her own, KIKI and KAYA. Take a look...

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