AKSkeeter
Well-known member
Praise should not be overused as a cheerleading "Good Boy,Good Boy,Good Boy,Good Boy,"
The reason is because the dog is not likely to associate praise with any instant in time in terms of dog behavior,
rather cheerleading praise becomes background music.
Or cheerleading praise could be timed wrong, for example "Good Girl,Good Girl,Good Girl,Good Girl,"
to try to encourage a pup to return faster when a pup is returning slowly.
Pup could interpret this cheerleading praise as approval for returning slowly!
Any alternative use of praise is a a verbal marker.
Praise the instant the dog makes a correct decision.
As an example, here the retriever sees a double mark,
but must run a blind retrieve after picking up the longer mark.
The challenge is to remember that shorter mark and not over-run it
after going longer on the first mark and the blind retrieve.
So praise "Good Girl" when she makes the correct decision to "check-down" on the memory mark.
Another example with a pup.
Praise the instant pup returns to hand.
That verbal marker informs pup that is the desired behavior (and not keep-away)
The reason is because the dog is not likely to associate praise with any instant in time in terms of dog behavior,
rather cheerleading praise becomes background music.
Or cheerleading praise could be timed wrong, for example "Good Girl,Good Girl,Good Girl,Good Girl,"
to try to encourage a pup to return faster when a pup is returning slowly.
Pup could interpret this cheerleading praise as approval for returning slowly!
Any alternative use of praise is a a verbal marker.
Praise the instant the dog makes a correct decision.
As an example, here the retriever sees a double mark,
but must run a blind retrieve after picking up the longer mark.
The challenge is to remember that shorter mark and not over-run it
after going longer on the first mark and the blind retrieve.
So praise "Good Girl" when she makes the correct decision to "check-down" on the memory mark.
Praise the instant pup returns to hand.
That verbal marker informs pup that is the desired behavior (and not keep-away)