Positive Reinforcement in Dog Training: The Basics

Using positive reinforcement in dog training: the basics

At Royvon we're firm advocates of positive, reward-based training. It builds a relationship grounded in trust rather than fear, a dog that behaves because good things follow, not because it's worried about what happens if it doesn't. It takes more time and effort to get right than punishment-based shortcuts, but the resulting relationship is far more solid and lasting.

What positive reinforcement actually means

Dogs and people respond to the same basic principle: we're all more likely to repeat something when it's followed by something good, much like a workplace bonus for hitting a target. Training is essentially teaching your dog which behaviours earn good things and which don't, and positive reinforcement is what makes your dog actually want to offer the behaviours you're after, rather than just tolerating training.

The three main types of reinforcement

Food is the most universal motivator, since every dog needs to eat, which is exactly why strategic use of a dog's daily feed works so well as a training tool. Toys (a chew, a tug rope) and activities (a run, playing with another dog, a walk) matter too, and which one your dog values most can shift with context, food before breakfast, water on a hot day out. Watching what actually motivates your dog in the moment, and using that specifically, is where a lot of the skill in reward-based training lives.

Transferring the reward to the behaviour

The real aim is transferring your dog's love of food, toys or play into a genuine liking for the behaviour itself, teaching a dog to settle calmly during dinner through food rewards, for example, eventually builds a positive association with their bed strong enough that they'll settle there happily even without a treat every time.

What to watch for

Small dogs can fill up on food quickly mid-session, so teaching a food-motivated dog to also enjoy a game like tug gives you a second reward to fall back on once they're full. It's also worth noticing what's reinforcing your dog's less welcome habits without you intending it, barking at delivery drivers, chewing furniture, excited car behaviour before a trip to the park are all unintentionally rewarded the moment the dog gets what it wants. Managing these takes the same principle in reverse, driving somewhere else until a dog settles in the car, for instance, rather than reinforcing the excitement.

Getting the right support

See also our guide on the strategic use of daily feed. If you're finding it hard to identify what genuinely motivates your dog, get in touch, a trainer can help you build this relationship faster. Learn more about our behaviour training programme and our cognitive enrichment hub and Food Rewards in Puppy Training: Getting the Basics Right and Using Movement to Motivate Your Dog and How Dogs Learn: The Science Behind Cognitive Enrichment.