What is Positive Reward Training?

We specialize in dog training techniques using positive reinforcement methods. This emphasizes well timed rewards as a way to communicate to your dog that it has offered the desired behaviour.

The main idea behind positive reinforcement training is that that more times a dog displays a desirable behaviour, and gets rewarded, the more times it will continue to offer that behaviour. If a behaviour is not rewarding it is likely that it will extinguish all on it’s own and the dog will stop.

Training is as much about providing positive reward to reinforce good behaviours as it is about teaching techniques to avoid inadvertently rewarding bad behaviours.

The more times a dogs steals food off the table, and the food is rewarding, the more likely the dog will attempt to steal food again.

What are the Benefits of Positive Reward Training?

With a puppy, starting positive reward training between 8 & 12 weeks can avoid more difficult issues later. The more positive interactions you have with the dog, along with ongoing rewards and reinforcement, the more connected the dog will be to you. Proper training is designed to strengthen this bond between you and your dog, and there comes a confidence in the dog and an understanding that they can trust their owner to be the leader.

With a mature dog, the positive reinforcement training can correct undesirable behaviours and build confidence in the dog but it may take longer than with a puppy. The longer attention span of a mature dog will help generate excellent results.