REWARDING IN TRAILING WORK. Irina Brunina, INBTI Instructor

In trailing training, reward is not a prize “for effort” or a way to “encourage the dog.” Rewards are an informational tool that helps the dog understand: what it did right, when exactly it was right, why it makes sense to repeat it.

In trailing methodology, rewards are part of the behavioral architecture, not a separate element.

Functionality of reward. The dog remembers not the reward itself, but the context in which it occurred. Therefore, reward is an event that reinforces the desired behavior, consolidates the correct decision, forms motivation, creates a predictable connection between the task and the result.

The reward function works if the handler adheres to the basic principles of reward:

Timeliness. The reward should be given immediately after the correct decision is made.

Sufficiency. The reward should reinforce the behavior, but not overexcite.

Consistency. Same behavior → same consequences.

Fairness. Reward only for work done.

Predictability. The dog knows, “If I do this right, I will get a result.”

Above, we discussed motivation as a dog's desire to work and its internal drive toward a goal. Rewards are a tool for forming and maintaining motivation. However, reward should not be equated with motivation.

Example. Faulty logic: “If the dog is not working, it needs to be rewarded more.” Correct logic: “If the dog is not working, you need to understand what exactly it does not understand.”

When rewarding a dog, you need to adhere to the basic rules of reward:

- Reward the decision, not the movement.

- Reward is always associated with the target scent, not the conductor.

- Do not reward a “forced” finish.

- Do not reward guessing.

- It is better to under-reward than to reward incorrectly.

- The reward must be sufficient: it must meet the dog's expectations.

- The reward must be understandable to the dog.

- The dog should not have to guess why it was rewarded.

The dog should leave the trailing training feeling rewarded. Praise cannot be formal. It is not an element of training bureaucracy. Praise must be genuine and sincere.

Typical mistakes made by handlers when rewarding dogs include:

- rewarding speed;

- rewarding “so as not to upset” the dog;

- rewarding an incorrect finish;

- excessive reward for poor performance;

- lack of reward for correct refusal.

All these mistakes distort behavior.