[NAGDU] schools that use food rewards

[nellie at culodge.com]

Sherry,

You and I have the exact same thoughts on food/praise rewards.  My current dog, Dash, is highly food reward driven.  He will get a kibble or two or a charley bear every single time he finds home.  Also, as you said, recall off the leash is so important so he will get a kibble for that too.  He does love the verbal and physical praises as well, but if he knows there will be a small food reward at a certain target, he is all in.  Now this is not to say he wouldn't work without food rewards (which he doesn't get that many food rewards) but as I said in a prior message I have only had him for 2 weeks, and he is learning everything fantastically, but he will get a treat every time he finds home or does a great recall.
So far, Dash is the smartest dog, and most well behaved I have had out of the three.  I am very lucky!

Janell and sir Dash!  😊



-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sherry Gomes via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, June 1, 2023 8:15 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Sherry Gomes <sherry.gomes at outlook.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] schools that use food rewards

Madison,

I'm a huge proponent of food rewards, though my first four or five guide dogs are from a time when no school used food rewards. It was praise and leash correction, and that was it. I argued with my instructors when they first started talking about food rewards in I think 2002 when I was in training then. They told me they'd always used food in certain circumstances, to help a dog with some fears, or who was having trouble with a particular task. I embraced the concept after that and have been very happy with it. 

One benefit I see in using food rewards is that it seems food lessens the need to use physical leash corrections. I never have to use the leash now, but can correct my dogs with words and food, when they correct their behavior or to distract them from a distraction. The old compulsion training I learned is cruel, and I'm thankful the schools seems to have turned away from that. We live in a world now where everyone has a phone with a camera, and it doesn't really look great to see someone jerking a leash and collar, in such a way that the public thinks we are choking our dogs. In general, I don't care what the public thinks, but I do love that I can handle my dog with softer, kinder methods than the old ways. And physically, I can't do the old style corrections anymore.

in the beginning, with a new dog, I'll use a lot of food. It helps with bonding and helps the dog learn the particular quirks of working with me. I have a limp, balance issues and need dogs that are spot on with finding places and so forth. Then I taper off, but I never stop food rewards. For example, strong off leash recall is one of the most important things I want from my guide dog. I had a dog who would run if she saw an open door, and sometimes that was in high traffic situations. I was terrified she'd get hit, but food rewards helped. Now, I have a back yard, with a magnetic screen door, so my dog can go in and out as she likes, unless the weather is too hot or cold to have the back door open. When she comes in, whether on her own, or if I call her, I always give her one kibble. I want her to come every single time I call. 

I don't use a clicker, because with my arthritis, I find it difficult to manage the harness, the clicker and the food, so when I'm teaching my dog a new place, or to find a light pole, or to line up properly at a tricky crossing, she gets a food reward, and in the beginning, several of them, to help. When she comes home, she gets food at our front door. With my arthritis, I don't want to explore my environment and risk getting lost and walking too much, which will leave me in pain and hobbling for days. So, I want to go, come back and come right home. I had two dogs in a row who just would not find home, and it was exasperating. But I don't give my dog food every single time she does something right. Occasionally, I give her food after a street crossing, just to say, thanks for that. mostly though, when we're out working, it's lots of praise, verbal and physical, with a kibble here and there, but not everywhere.

Note that I've said kibble, a kibble. For me, food rewards are just that, a kibble of her regular food. I subtract the amount I give her in a particular day from her daily food amounts. This keeps her weight under control. She does get a bedtime snack of a couple baby carrots or some blueberries, but I never use these things for food rewards.

Giving my dogs food rewards has never made any of them scroungers or scavengers. My current guide, Shani from GEB, doesn't scrounge, at home or in public. I have taken her to restaurants, stores, other people's homes, outside venues with people, particularly kids, and food everywhere, and she's never trying to get at all the lovely stuff she might find.

My dog also loves her praise, and wags like crazy, snuggles up for cuddles and so forth. Food absolutely never replaces praise. When I give her a kibble, she also gets praise.

My last dog was not in to food at all. She didn't really like eating, and would often go a day or two without touching her food! Drove me crazy. I had to try some very high level rewards in the beginning, like peanut butter, to teach her things, but soon after we finished training, I dropped all food rewards and just used praise. 

It all comes down to knowing your dog and what works best to motivate that dog and encourages that dog. If you did go to a guide dog school for training and told the instructors that you prefer a dog that will work more for praise than food, they'd try to match you with the right dog. In the end though, it would come down to what is the best match for you, food motivated or not.

These are only my experiences. I know some people who have struggled with dogs that wouldn't work well without food. I've never had a dog like that, but it would be incredibly frustrating. I want and expect my dog to work, do her job well, with or without the tasty reward.


Sherry
Sherry.gomes at outlook.com

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Madison Martin via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, June 1, 2023 1:33 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: Madison Martin <madison.martin2000 at outlook.com>
Subject: [NAGDU] schools that use food rewards

Hi all,
Do the schools that use food rewards teach you how to wean your dog off of them or do you have to use them all the time? I don't have a problem with using food rewards but I'm not sure I want to use them all the time unless I'm teaching my dog something. Thanks for any info that anyone can provide me, Madison
 
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