[nagdu] statement re: ownership and qeustions re: schools policies

[Jenine Stanley]

Merry, 

I can answer the GDf food question for you. 

We do not use food in most training situations, i.e., daily class work. We
do introduce the use of food for solving problems or teaching certain
behaviors, along with how not to use food and the fact that food should be
tapered off in favor of praise. 

Some instructors may, with some teams, use food or even introduce the
clicker, for specific issues, but it's not part of overall class training. 

I too was one of those people who thought I'd never use food to train or
reinforce a dog as it was bad. Used correctly, in moderation rather than a
sole motivating force, food can be very helpful in stimulating interest or
redirecting until you can get a behavior really cemented. 

I now use food, just regular pieces of kibble, though I do sometimes use
higher value treats, ones that are smellier, richer, etc., in new places
because Swap sometimes has lapses in confidence and I really want him to get
that yes, he did well. 

I don't necessarily think, personally, that using food during training is
bad. I think relying on it as a way to motivate a dog who otherwise isn't
interested in work may not be the best way to go but that's a whole
different discussion.