[nagdu] Question about using Treats

Tue Nov 11 14:17:47 UTC 2014

Thank you, I got her in June so not even 6 months. I do think I went too fast and she isn't as responsive. I was thinking of gving her treats like I did in the beginning for a while and then gradually back off. 

Danielle and Willa 

> On Nov 11, 2014, at 9:07 AM, Raven Tolliver via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Danielle,
> I don't know how long you've had your girl. There is no reason to back
> off treats completely if you don't want to. I agree with Sherry, that
> treats are a great way to bond, and are a primary reinforcer for
> behaviors.
> If you would like to phase them out though, you must do it slowly. So
> if you give treats at every street crossing, start phasing them out by
> giving them every other street crossing, then every 3. Then make food
> rewards irregular. If she doesn't know when to expect them, she will
> not expect them as much. Using petting and verbal praise in place of
> treats will help a lot.
> I phased treats out within the first 6 months I was with the Golden Guy.
> 
>> On 11/11/14, Sherry Gomes via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Hi Danielle,
>> 
>> Here's my thoughts on treats. And just for background, I got my first dog
>> from GDB in 1975, long before treats. In those days we were told never ever
>> ever use food. So, when they started doing it, I balked and called the
>> trainer on it. But he encouraged me to try, and now I'm a huge convert.
>> It's
>> so nice to use food rewards, helping to motivate the dog with something it
>> loves.
>> 
>> For dogs, food is one of their primary drives, probably the number one
>> drive. They aren't people, and they don't think like people. So, I feel
>> that
>> using food rewards to help us bond, with me as the provider of the thing
>> the
>> dog loves best, especially before it's really bonded to me, well, it's one
>> of the greatest tools I have to help my dog bond and learn. As for backing
>> off, if willa doesn't get overly excited over it and continues to behave
>> nicely, why back off. Maybe cut it back, but even using a kibble or two or
>> three or a few on a route, why not? My dog Bianca, now deceased, was the
>> first I really embraced food rewards with, and I continued to use them with
>> her to the end of her guiding life. Certain street crossings that were
>> absolutely terrifying to me but necessary to get to the job I had at the
>> time, I gave her kibbles or carrots every single time we got across that
>> street safely. I always use food in conjunction with verbal and physical
>> praise of course.
>> 
>> Now, Petunia, my golden girl, she was not much motivated by food when we
>> were first together, and the trainers had to give me some high value treats
>> to encourage her. Even now, she wants pets and hugs and praise first, but
>> she will take food from me. And to help her learn new things, like finding
>> light poles, I actually get a sighted friend of mine to help, and she goes
>> ahead and puts peanut butter on the thing I want Petunia to target. Works
>> every time!
>> 
>> So, in my opinion, as long as you and your dog are happy, what you're doing
>> works for both of you, and her behavior is consistent in regard to food,
>> maybe decrease it a bit if you feel you should, but no need to back off
>> completely. Dogs love their food, and if I'm the one, or you're the one,
>> providing that oh so loved thing, it only makes the dog bond more.
>> 
>> Just my opinion of course.
>> 
>> Sherry
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Sherry
>> 
>> "The day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our
>> friends
>> and break all bonds of fellowship, when the age of men comes crashing down.
>> 
>> But it is not this day! This day, we fight!
>> By all that you hold dear, by this good earth,
>> I bid you, STAND! Men, of the West!"
>> Aragorn, Lord of the Rings, Return of the King
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Danielle Burton
>> via nagdu
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 5:33 AM
>> To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List
>> Subject: [nagdu] Question about using Treats
>> 
>> 
>> Hi everyone,, for those of you who use treats with your dogs or has used
>> trts and transitioned them out is it easy to back off too quickly? I
>> believe
>> I may have done this and I don't seem to be getting the responses I want
>> from my pup. I know some of you have  a strong disagreement to treats and
>> that's fine but we were trainged with jreats at the school and I had been
>> trying to phase them out. and just to clarify I take her treats out of her
>> morning kibble so she isn't getting extra food from the treats.  But I was
>> wondering if maybe she is the dog that may need them. OR if I backed off
>> too
>> quickly and she  can't do that. We honly been a team since June so the
>> bonding is still taking place. I know some dogs get overly excted about
>> treats and therefore treats aren't effective for those dogs but she isn't
>> overly excited but will wait till I give it to her  and she won't try to
>> reach in friendnt of me to get at them but she does severm to do beter with
>> the treats. Any advice would appreciate. I am going to try to use the
>> treats
>> like I did in the beginning for a week or and then try to back off again.
>> But has anyone ever had this problem?
>> Danielle and Willa
>> 
>> 
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>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Raven
> "if God didn't make it, don't eat it." - John B. Symes, D.V.M.
> http://dogtorj.com
> 
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