What does your dog work best for?

Saxon will do anything for Freeze Dried Lamb Lung! He will also work for praise, but not in a high distraction area.

Food. It's a primary reinforcer and most dogs work well for food. If a dog doesn't work for food, then something the trainer is doing is causing the food to have less value to the dog. That's my opinion. Most dogs need food to survive after all. lol.

Dance: FOOD! She loves to play and she'll work her butt off for a ball, but she is food obsessed. And also, she fixates on a ball and does everything in slow motion, so that doesn't work too well for training, haha. When she does something awesome she gets a whole handful of food and a ball toss, though. That works.

Ripley: Food for learning new things, tug for rewarding things already known. I tend to use a mixture of both when working with him as he works well for either, but I can't use a toy for teaching him something new because he can't think properly when a favourite toy is involved and it takes twice as long to get anywhere.

Keira: Food. She doesn't care about toys. I wish she did, because I hate giving her food (she nearly takes my hand with it in excitement).

Teagan is really food and toy motivated, but it has to be the right food and the right toy, She is really picky when it comes to food and her toys. She also does not like doing things for me unless there is something in it for her.

Food and toys. I prefer food because it doesn't get her SO amped up that she can't focus, and toys sometimes cause her to lose her mind. But in higher distraction settings, she is more willing to work for toys.

If she even thinks you have food, she'll offer bahaviours.

If you're me, she'll also work for praise.

Food is the big one - but when Abby's arousal level is just right through games - running, tugging etc then she is really at her best. We are just not very consistent. I have trouble being fun enough I think, but when we get there she is delightful to watch. Abby's response to food is much more reliable and consistent.

Trent works best for tugs and balls - or any promise of play that I can show him. He works great for food as well, although he tends to lose the strong motivation to work and the flashiness in his obedience. I like using food for more consistency. He won't become overexcited when it comes to food and is consistently attentive when he realizes that is his reward.

Food for Trent is the best encouragement, whereas play/tugs are the best for motivation.

Kastle works more clear-headed and thinking for food. He works more enthusiastically and for longer (forever) for a toy - he prefers a ball over all else. I think he would starve to hold a ball in his mouth instead.

Eden is food all the way. She looks like she has toy drive to outsiders, but I clicker trained that

Limit was all food but lately he's become more possessive and is getting back into tugging so I have hope that toys will come into the picture more later.

Zander will work for praise/play or food, it doesn't matter much to him these days. He'll take food if I have it, but he doesn't NEED it.

If I REALLY REALLY want to rush him into a behavior (like accepting the tub for a bath) or getting him over something (like the dryer buzzer) than I'll use cheese or bacon. He'll do ANYTHING for cheese or bacon. And it'll only need to be done once, no refresher needed. He jumped in the tub last time. No bacon in hand, but he still did it. Lol.

food and walks. If you show her her leash, she's happy to work for you if it means she gets to go on a walk!

"good girl" and snuggles. She isn't a big "foodie."

haha

Food, Balls, or Tugs

Kimma and Bubbles - food, specifically hot dogs

Pentti and T - tug and toys, specifically tennis balls

The boys will also work for food, but toys are better. The girls, OTOH, don't really work for toys hahaha.

Chloe: food, hands down. But toys when she is in "play mode".
Rose: food and praise.
Cynder: food and praise.
Cooper: food, but he's broken and doesn't really understand learning, so...even food only motivates him in certain contexts.
Gracie: food, but same scenario as Cooper.

Maddie...FOOOOOOOD

Bailey... at home, toys and praise. And food. Outside of home, often she won't touch toys still Praise, and food

Buster works for food.
Rudy works for a toy.
Dixie works for a tennis ball.

This sounds like I was doing a job application for my dogs.. sorry. :rofl1:

Food food food! That's the mantra of my Bogs, a Doberman. Poochi, a Japanese Spitz would forsake her food bowl for her already very ragged and worn plush rabbit toy. During training, I used to dangle her toy to entice her to perform.