WW305: May 15- Cookie Jar Games - A Delayed Reward System your Dog will LOVE!

Cookie Jar Games is a different way for your dog to think about their reinforcement. Your dog will learn easily and without coercion that

1. They may choose immediate or delayed access, and
2. Delay is a better deal.

The order in which you present the events of the game will determine what associations your dog makes between the stimulus, their response, and the consequence of their choice. So we present each part of the game in such a way that the dog realizes the benefits of Delay by winning on the strength of their own choices. Their own discovery is more useful long-term than their acceptance of your authority. We are creating a different kind of teamwork here, and it's powerful stuff!

You will need to be patient in order to let your dog choose to align their brain with yours. You will need to notice and mark fine points of progress, just as with shaping. This part gets easier as we go!

I've designed games that allow your dog to think and that set them up for success, of course. We will manipulate environments, events, consequences, and rewards. We will learn from what your dog is feeling and saying along the way. It's not easy for your dog to make so many choices if they are used to your interference! This way of creating synergy might come slowly at first depending on the history you have established together. But if you nurture it as the first signs appear, then it will come. I'll help you with that! And your dog's preference for Delay will be all the stronger for the process of self-discovery which increases the value.

You'll have the presentation to refer back to every step of the way, so you can continue to progress after our week together is over. If you have taken my CJG class and are here for a clear and concise refresher, welcome back! I know you will see more this time than you saw last time. If you are new to this concept, congratulations and welcome! The science behind this approach is clear. I'll help you enjoy the process as your dog learns the value of Delay.

This is a subject where research on humans is helpful as we study our dogs! We all are wired for immediate gratification, and we can all learn the value of delayed gratification. It is more difficult for some than for others, in both species! But in every one of us, drastic improvements in our lives can be realized by learning to gain a greater reward through patience. The anticipation of the reward that is coming is well studied and proven to be a HUGE reinforcer. Choosing to work first and enjoy a reward later is the goal of this workshop.

In this class, dog's choice leads to win-win. I will help you in the details of setting up each operation. We will study our dogs in order to maximize the individual dog's gain when they choose delayed reinforcement.

Sign up for this workshop if you want to learn about working with your dog's brain in a whole new way!

Lecture Publish Date: Sunday May 15th

Video Submissions Due Date:  Sunday May 22nd @ 12pm noon PT 

Feedback & Questions Video Publish Date: Wednesday May 25th

Instructor: Julie Daniels

Julie Daniels (she/her) won her first award for writing in the fourth grade, and she was training dogs long before that. Today Julie Daniels is one of the foremost names in dog agility in the United States.  She was one of the early champions of the sport and helped many clubs throughout the country...(Click here for full bio and to view Julie's upcoming courses)