Three things motivate dogs: food, toys, and affection. Most dogs love to play. Any dog owner will understand the importance of play and the use of playing with toys within days of owning a pet.
In the beginning, it can be a struggle to have a dog motivated by toys rather than food. Yet, as you get used to it, you will understand that most of the time, dogs love to play with toys, and food doesn’t motivate them as much.
Why Use Toys for Training?
Toys can make you a much better trainer and dog owner. Yes, there will be times when you will wish your dog would work for food instead. Rewarding with food is easier and faster. But rewarding with toys creates a deeper bond between you and your dog.
When Toys Might Not Work?
While toys are great for dog training, there are two situations in which they might not work, as well as food.
The first situation is teaching stationary positions like sit, down, stay, wait, and similar. Food rewards reinforce dog behavior without breaking position. Toys might cause your dog to break the position once you reward the behavior.
That doesn’t mean you cannot teach a dog to maintain a position using toys. Some dogs will get fixated on the toy and patiently wait for you to throw it or let them play with it.
The second situation is shaping scenarios. In this case, you might need to toss the reward away to reset the dog and its position. Resetting a shaping position with a toy might be more difficult since dogs will go and play with the toy.
How to Choose the Perfect Toy?
If you are a passionate pet parent, you already have a big box of dog toys. How to choose the one that will motivate your dog to work and train?
Well, you have to find one that your dog will respond to. Use a variety of different toys, ranging from balls, tug toys, squeaky toys, and soft toys, and see which ones motivate your dog.As you do with high-value treats, once you find your dog’s favorite toy, put it away. Do not give that toy for everyday use.
A toy your dog plays with all day long will not feel special when used as a dog training reward. Set aside several toys for training. Make sure to alternate between toys, so that your furry friend doesn’t get bored and never knows which toy he is getting. It keeps things interesting and motivating.
How to Use Toys for Reward?
When using toys for dog training, we use them only as a reward for several seconds. Anything longer than 10 seconds will cause your dog to lose focus on whatever behavior you are trying to teach.
Handing a toy and expecting your pet to play with it will not suffice. Join the play session and make yourself part of the fun. Your dog should think that you are as entertaining as the toy itself.
For example, play fetch by throwing a ball at a short distance. Once your dog returns the ball, continue with training. Or play tug for a few seconds and then ask your dog to drop it.
Your dog should understand that the toy is a reward for good behavior. Without connecting the dots, the toy will not motivate your pet to train and work. You can mark positive behavior with “yes”, “good job” or a clicker before rewarding with a toy.
The Challenge With Toys
We do not give dogs toys. Instead, we give them little hits or doses of toys. Few seconds of tug, one throw of the ball, and similar things.
The challenge with toys is that it is harder for novice owners to use them to reinforce a certain behavior. Your dog needs to understand not to steal the toy when you are holding it. He has to wait for you to say “Go get it”.
Or, when you play tug, dogs need to go for the right part of the tug toy, not your hands. Beginners have a hard time reinforcing correct bite placements. That doesn’t mean you cannot learn it. Several YouTube videos will help you learn how to teach your dog to drop a toy.
How to Reward a Behavior with a Tug Toy between dog pals
Now let’s give an example of how you can use toys for dog training.
Start by having a tug toy under your arm or behind your back.
Instruct your dog to sit.
Once your dog puts his bottom on the floor, say “yes” and present the toy for a tug.
Play for 3 to 5 seconds.
Say “Drop it”, and allow your dog to let go of the toy
Put the toy away and give another command “Sit”
Repeat several times and increase the play session
Do All Dogs Love Toys?
For some dog breeds, playing with toys comes naturally. Dogs get motivated by food, toys, and affection. Some dogs, mainly hunting breeds and terrier breeds, love toys. Their natural prey drive comes into full effect when they play with toys.
Others, for example, apartment dogs, might not be as motivated to play with toys. You always have to factor in that each individual dog has a different temperament.
Bonus Tips
Now let’s wrap it up with some tips on how to effectively reward your dog with toys
– Be consistent with the “drop it” command
– Maintain the value of the toy by having a few toys for training
– Maintain a high rate of reinforcement and keep the playtime short
– Mark with “Yes” or clicker before rewarding with a toy
– Make sure you are clear about what behavior you reward with a toy
Final Words
Training with toys creates intensity and drive in your puppy. Most dogs have a natural prey drive. When you work with toys, always start by teasing your dog for a short time to get him excited.
Once your dog gets excited about the toy, channel that energy and start with some basic obedience games.
Practice consistently with toys, and you will notice your dog’s behavior will improve. But more importantly, the bond between the two of you will improve as well.
Your dog will love training and working with you. That is a dream scenario for any dog owner.
Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-small-dog-standing-next-to-a-stuffed-animal-hd815_vNH_g
Did you find this city dog content helpful? Share it with a friend or link it to social media. Enjoy short clips of silly dogs? Best dog training videos? Holistic puppy training tips? Follow us on instagram @nydognanny or on YouTube at nydognanny. Have some news you needs to get to dog and cat parents stat? Email info@newyorkdognanny.com with your article pitch.