Mastering the Art of Properly Praising Dogs

Praise and rewards can help to educate and train dogs extremely effectively. However, it’s essential that you praise your four-legged friend correctly; otherwise too much or inappropriate praise could have an adverse impact. Here, you will discover what to consider when praising and what should be avoided.

Praising your dog can sometimes go wrong; too much praise or rewarding an aggressive dog too frequently will diminish the value of rewards and stop having the desired impact. Finding a balance is what matters when rewarding canines.

What constitutes “good praise”

Your dog’s reaction to praise should indicate its value; when excited and enthusiastic, he or she may remember past behavior as positive reinforcement and replicate it in future interactions – an effective educational measure. There are several types of praise available; most dogs respond enthusiastically to human-style compliments with nice words such as “finely done”, strokes and verbal affirmation of achievement; furthermore toys or treats may also serve as praise-giving rewards; however be careful not to overdo these.

Praising dogs appropriately: not too much nor too little

Do not praise your dog every time he receives a treat; doing so could have detrimental effects on both his figure and educational measure. Praising with food should be sparing and surprising in order to reinforce desired behavior, just as with all praise. Too much praise, however, becomes meaningless to the four-legged friend and no longer serves its intended purpose; praise as training measures no longer work effectively.

Important note: Be careful about using praise to lure animals. For instance, if you teach your animal companion the command “Come” and consistently reward him with treats, they may only come when they sense food could be available – something we must all remain mindful of in our everyday interactions with animals!