Reward Cues and Event Markers for Stays

Thinking in terms of Premack, what a dog does when receiving/consuming a reinforcer is a behavior in itself. So we have an opportunity to use specific cues with specific reinforcement plans. Of course, these cues act as event markers, reinforcing the behavior that occurs when the cue is given.

Having a specific cue lets the dog know what to expect and where to expect it. Because the behavior that occurs between the cue and the reinforcer is also being reinforced, it’s very helpful to our training to be able to control exactly what behavior happens during that time. Specific, well-trained reward cues give us that control and clarify the behavior that is being reinforced.

Now, just like anywhere else, you can use any cue that you want. The more important part is the behavior itself. There are many options for different reinforcement strategies, and you can use different cues for any of them if you choose. You could have different names for different toys or locations, etc. We are going to make use of at least 3 specific cues and reinforcement strategies for this class. I do recommend that your cue be auditory or verbal rather than a hand signal in most cases. We will handle exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

***In all cases, make sure to give the verbal cue before making any movement with your hands. 

Take Out

Stop whatever you are doing and run to me for your reward. 

This is a relatively exciting reinforcer. The dog gets to move, and depending on the amount of movement, can get aroused. I use a click or verbal “yes” for this behavior. 

You can split this further by using one cue for a tossed treat and one for a treat from the hand. For example, I usually click for a tossed treat and use a verbal “yes” for taking a treat from my hand. Either way, the dog looks up at me when I click and the physical motion of my body gives him information about where to expect the treat. Both are valid, but it is important to be aware of what information you are giving the dog.

To teach this, simply pair your event marker/cue with the reward. Move your hand away from the dog and step away from the dog slightly as you present the treat. This will induce the dog to move towards the treat if he wasn't already.

Room Service

Just keep hanging out where you are, because I’m bringing the treat to you. This is the least arousing reinforcer cue. The dog has little/no movement and so will learn to just chill and let the reward come to him. 

This one is less automatic and takes some training. As with any cue/behavior, start by teaching the behavior first before putting the cue on it. In this case, the behavior is "let the treat come to you", and we've already taught this skill with the slow treat game. So it's just a matter of adding the cue to the known behavior, and then generalizing to body position (both human and dog), other movements, environment, etc. I use a long, low "goooooood" to cue this behavior. I think a longer, lower sound helps generate a calmer state (check out The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell for more cool info on this topic), compared to the faster, higher-pitched "yes!" that I use for Take Out.

1. Start with the slow treat game. 

2. When the dog is very successful, begin to give your cue just *before* moving your hand towards the dog to deliver the treat.

3. Vary the starting position of your hand. If at any point, the dog loses control, return to the basic hand zen until he is successful.

4. Practice from all three stationary positions (sit/down/stand).

5. Vary your body position so that you can be sitting, kneeling or standing when giving the cue.

Remote Reward

Stop whatever you are doing, and go get the reward waiting somewhere. This cue is going to be primarily used with the zen bowl, or possibly with a toy on the ground. If you already have a cue for your Zen Bowl, you can use that here. We will use the distance and placement of the reinforcer to affect the behavior and arousal level we want. 

This is a complex one, so the instructions will follow in a separate lecture.

Optional: Get the reward behind you

This is a cool one to train. While you can certainly use the same cue as for your zen bowl/remote reward, there is some advantage to having a specific cue for the dog to turn around and get a reward right behind him. It’s especially helpful if the dog does not know the reward is going to be there. For example, when training signals or drop on recall, I will often have a reinforcer handy to my person (say a treat in my pocket) and the judge might also have a secret toy. During the exercise, I might either reinforce by methods 1 or 2, or I might have the judge drop the toy behind the dog and send him that way. For a game like that, it’s very helpful to have separate cues for each type of reward so the dog doesn’t just spin in place confused. However, for this class, it’s totally optional.