performing w/o food/toys, etc...

[Sharon]

Performing with out food/toys

I always train with food .My dogs know their jobs but I always proof with treats.Even with my MACH dog I go back and reward.If the reward on a contact is taught right the dog should be looking at the ground with his or her nose pointed to the ground.Before I go in the ring I may do sits and downs and reward and at the end of the run they get the jackpot be it a Q or an NQ.Even the world team people use treats for training.

 

[Hurtseverywhere]

I am pretty much the same with Cosmo, the I only work for food Dog, I Pretty much feed lightly sparing & playing in the chute right till its our my turn in the ring, passing off the bag just before going in, then he get his treat when he finished. he learned this routine pretty quickly LOL.
With storm we have been using toys more because she is more play oriented,
and if I can avoid using food all the much better in my book, I do train with treats with her though as well just not near as much.

 

[corbinam]

I think that this is another one of those things that depend on the dog. We are fortunate as sheltie owners that as a general rule, our dogs want to stay with us and please us for the sake of pleasing us. Other breed owners are not so lucky. It's much easier for our dogs to perform a sequence and be rewarded at the end (as often times just running with us is instinctual and rewarding in and of itself) than it is for a dog who would rather be off doing something else (using their nose, meeting other people, chasing a ball, etc...)

I think you just have to gauge your dog's engagement as you go along. If they seem to be losing interest, you've not rewarded enough. If they won't leave you alone (and won't focus on the obstacles ahead) then maybe you should reward less often, or reward away from you (throw a toy, use a target plate, run out of the ring and reward at the end of a sequence).

When you are first starting I think it's pretty normal to be rewarding at frequent intervals. Just make sure that you are rewarding a specific behavior, not just throwing treats at the dog when you're done with what you were doing. Also, don't be afraid of using your voice as you work your dog. When my dog hits a weave entry (even in a trial) I will say "Yes!" or "Good dog!" They still get that marker ("hooray, I've done it correctly and mom is pleased") even though I can't reward with a toy or a treat, and I think it helps to bridge the gap between the run and the end of the run when I can get them something a bit higher value.

 

[Sharon]

Performing with out food/toys

I guess I am very lucky to have to very motivated dogs that will work for food or toys.I will always proof my training with food.

 

[Bejilia]

(Additional to all these good advices one more from me

I use a leash, Quilpie can play with and I can take it to the course. I use it in training and for competitions.
For Quilpie it's important, because he get's his reward while all the scary people are so near, when we leave the course.
For some other dogs it's helpful, because they don't want to run out of the course to get their jackpot.

(In training I use food, toys and this leash... )

 

[romeosangiovese]

I think it just takes time. I was treating all the way in the beginning when we were learning, then I would only treat when it was something particularly difficult or an obstacle that needed more reinforcement (like weaves) during a run.

Then I would just treat at the end of a run. I'd use bridging words initially like "yay good dog you want a treat? who wants a treat? who's the best dog in the world!" etc in a happy excited voice. And now they just know the treat is coming after the run. I find also when training, do longer sequences, so that during a trial, it's short and the food reward comes faster for the dog.

I find tho' that with agility, the sport itself is so rewarding to the dog, that they really don't mind if you're not always throwing food at them.

With obedience however, this no-food thing is a bigger problem. At least for me it is!

 

[k9kreationz]

I think you just have to gauge your dog's engagement as you go along. If they seem to be losing interest, you've not rewarded enough. If they won't leave you alone (and won't focus on the obstacles ahead) then maybe you should reward less often, or reward away from you (throw a toy, use a target plate, run out of the ring and reward at the end of a sequence).

Good point Ashley. Koji is very food motivated and I think by me constantly rewarding from my hands and only my hands, he never wanted to go far away from me. Definitely change it up.

I was just thinking...I treat Koji after our practice runs. If I'm working on something, he gets treats obviously. But if we run a clean practice run, he still gets treats. I'm always feeding that boy. For me, it's just to reinforce everything he's learned and to remind him a good run gets treats.