Do you know the difference between a $1 bill and a $10 bill? Would you work harder in 5 minutes to get $100 or $1000?
If you invited me over to your house for dinner and then asked me to set the table, I probably would do so, especially if you were fixing a nice steak dinner! (Feel free to try this – and I love Waldorf salad.) However, if you asked me over for dinner but then said, “Hey Catherine, would you go dig up my septic tank and clean it out?” “There are companies you could hire for that," I would point out, and then I would get the heck out of there before the stink started. My guess is you would have to pay that septic company a whole lot more than a steak dinner.
Your dog has a value system too. Think about it: Does he get more excited for steak scraps or a dog biscuit? Cheese or Cheerios? Some of these foods have the value of a buck – the dog says, “Okay, since there’s nothing better to do, I will work for that.” You can train the new behavior easily then, if it’s a hungry dog and an easy task. But some things you ask your dog to do aren’t worth a dollar, and you find him walking away when you want to train. Depending on his interest in food and the food you choose, you may need to try something new. You need to show him the money – and you need to understand your dog’s valuation of various rewards.
To discover what your dog thinks of various food items you might use for reinforcement, play this game with your dog:
First, choose 5 to 10 different types of food treats, keeping in mind that some people food is toxic to dogs and you should never use raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, onion, alcohol or avocados, to name a few. Some things to try include his regular dog food, a teaspoon of peanut butter, mild cheese, hot dogs, soda crackers, Cheerios, banana, cooked chicken, lunch meats, prepared dog treats – you get the idea.
Have your dog Sit/Stay or have a friend hold his collar while you show him two treats. Place the treats on the floor (no practicing stealing from the coffee table!) about 5 feet away and at least 1 foot apart and then release your dog. Some dogs appear rather indiscriminant – going for whichever treat is closer – at first. However, once your dog realizes there are choices, you will see him begin to check them out a little before eating. You can then add a few more treats… and keep a log of which ones he prefers best. The more choices, the more discriminating your dog will become.
Years ago when I worked for a hearing dog program, we used a similar game to evaluate food drive in prospective adolescent dogs in a shelter. One dog watched carefully while we set out hot dog, a dry biscuit, cheese and freeze dried liver. When released, she quickly ran up to the line of food, ate the liver, then the cheese then the hot dog and finally grabbed the dog biscuit, ran away a few feet and buried it in the pea gravel. The whole test lasted about 10 seconds. When we finished laughing, we chose her for the program and named her Speedy.
Your dog may have a different reaction, but in the end, you will know your dog better. Then, when you need to train a difficult behavior, or work on desensitizing your dog to an unpleasant grooming task, you will know which food items are worth more to your dog. Don’t think of it as a bribe. Instead, consider what I would have to pay you to set the dinner table or clean out my septic tank… and then be glad you have choices about whether to accept the job or not!
