Throwing Food Pls Explain!

[JulesP]

I know a couple of people use the throwing food thing but I really don't quite get it. I like Brock to get the treat when he is in the correct postion, rather than moving to get the treat. Is the theory that the click is enough of a reward?

Mainly talking about teaching heel or come position.

[MrsD]

The click isnt a reward at all, it is merely a marker to "mark" the action or behaviour that you want from the dog. The reward comes after the click. You often throw food when you do free-shaping (to get the dog to move away from the position or action its just offered you), so perhaps that is where it comes from?

I only use the clicker for tricks though, so maybe someone who uses the clicker for obedience may be able to answer

[ness]

It teaches the dog how to find heel position from varying angles.

[JulesP]

I know why you are using it but I want to know why you don't reward the dog whilst it is in position.

[ness]

Yep Mrs D explained that - it sets the dog up for the next repetition. Nope the click doesn't reward the behaviour. Also throwing food encourages the dogs to drive harder and makes it more exciting for the dog especially since the act of chasing something tossed can add to the reward value. I do a mixture of both. Sometimes I reward in position and then toss ANOTHER treat out to set the dog up. Other times I click and toss a treat. I used it in heelwork to get my dog up so she was forging again. Click and toss the reward forward.

Works well on recall fronts to if you toss a treat through your legs (only works for the smaller dogs mind you) but then the dogs drive forward and will come in closer on there fronts since the dogs grativate towards the reinforcement.

Edited June 14, 2007 by ness

[leopuppy04]

I know a couple of people use the throwing food thing but I really don't quite get it. I like Brock to get the treat when he is in the correct postion, rather than moving to get the treat. Is the theory that the click is enough of a reward?

Mainly talking about teaching heel or come position.

reason being that it sets the dog up to 'get it right' again. eg: if you were getting the dog to heel - you reward in position - the dog doesn't have the opportunity to 'find' that position again. Hence why I like to throw food (lol - i'm a food thrower).

In terms of shaping toward an object - it helps the do 'set itself up' to succeed again (and also make it easier for the dog to see 'what' got it the click).

As Ness said - it also helps the dog learn to get the position from various angles. eg: I throw the food to the right so that the dog can come into a 'front' position from an angle (and straighten itself up)....

No - the click isn't the reward - it is the "mark" - so the dog hears the click and knows that food is coming . Thats why there can be a delay (slight) between the click and the reward...

ETA: - as Ness said - it builds up excitement! LOL - mine love it when they get a 'jackpot' - I throw out one piece of food - just as they are looking up - there is another, and another !

LOL

Edited June 14, 2007 by leopuppy04

[ness]

LOL it builds excitment to the point where hmm I can send her around behind me as I do when we play food circuits and she accelarates like a rocket. Worked great last night at agility when they had just the dogwalk set up over in the beginners area and I wanted to try and replicate a degree of excitiment. She was across that dogwalk VERY fast with the speed you might get if the dog was doing another obstacle first.

Edited June 14, 2007 by ness

[JulesP]

Do you use a free command before the dog can move and get the treat?

[Kavik]

I've only thrown food when clicker training targeting, I haven't tried it with obedience. I tried throwing the food between my legs with Diesel for recall, but he is a sniffer bum and this caused him to sniff the ground a lot.

I do spit food for heeling though

I might try the throwing food for heel position, it sounds interesting, though I am wondering if this might confuse the issue?

[leopuppy04]

Do you use a free command before the dog can move and get the treat?

nope - usually it follows a click which 'ends' behaviour.

I only get really finicky about 'releasing' on 'known' behaviours because... I usually throw food for a non-cued behaviour.... with the exception of heeling

Kavik - if you are concerned about confusion - try a new command

Edited June 14, 2007 by leopuppy04

[ness]

Hmm I might click and then tell her get it but thats just helps with the excitment factor more than anything and because when I play food circuits I am not clicking anything but just tossing and having her chase food.

[ShellyBeggs]

Never tried this and I might give it a go......

my bc isn't real bright so I doubt he will get it!

[JulesP]

Lol Brock is too polite! I had to give him a command to go get the food or he just sat at heel staring at it!

[wheres my rock]

my hubbys border dosnt get food throwing either lol

i use t a lot it brigs the reward alive especially when i was trianing my whippet i throw food for reward so they can chase it to set up for another rep often i'll throw it during heeling then keep moving so the dog has to find heel again or on fronts between my legs so the run through them to get it it teaches straight fronts without any fussing

we play two food like two toys for fu and to warm up and teach attention to name

[JulesP]

The cats had a really fun time chasing the treats!

[PAX]

I always say 'get it' when I throw food.

[wheres my rock]

i do too even though i have used my verbal marker i always add get it dont relaly know why i did that i just do lol i think from the 2 food game because you arent marking anything

[PAX]

WMR, probably like me. I can't shut up for long and I'm sure the dogs find the words 'get it' rewarding. I also say it when I play tug.

[ness]

Oh yep I use get it for everything. 2 food game, tossing toys, tuggy. It seems to be a generic cue which leads to increased excitment.

Bit like my Are you ready? which I use to say before I tossed a toy at the park, or creek or beach. Funnily enough it took very little to establish that as a cue to switch her on for heeling because I had spent so much time using it for other fun activities. It was suggested over in Perth and when Gina tried with Ness the very first time she was instantly more enthused and looking for action. It was only thinking it over later that I clued into why.

[PAX]

Ness, we must be twins. I say Are you ready all the time, that is my dogs favourite words.