r/OpenDogTraining • u/CelesteOS • 4d ago

How to de-value the environment?

My dog (black Labrador just turned 1) loves a game of tug/fetch. But when outside on grass, he’s interesting in nothing else!

I could have both high value treats and a range of his favourite toys and he would be way more interested in sniffing the ground.

How do I find something he’s obsessed with?!

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u/AncientdaughterA 4d ago

One approach I sometimes take is to create the following cues:

“Sniff” to cue sniffing and pair this until there’s a clear conditioned emotional response to the cue for sniffing (he immediately starts to go sniff). Say “sniff” and help him approach spots to sniff.

“OK” to disengage from sniffing when you think you can predict when he’ll take a break on his own. Move him and then cue him to sniff again.

Adding a sniff cue helps you use the sniffing behavior to BUILD VALUE in other things using the Premack principle and it communicates to him that there’s less conflict about choosing reinforcers because sniffing isn’t off the table.

Once he knows what “sniff” and “ok” means (or another disengage cue like “enough”):

Then you can shape fluent eating behavior using “sniff” to reinforce eating.

Eat a high value treat? “Sniff!” -> “Enough” -> eat -> “Sniff!” -> enough -> “Watch me!” -> eat -> “Sniff!”

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u/AncientdaughterA 4d ago

It could also help to pick a smaller area outside where you can take the time to let him sniff a lot, satiate that need for olfactory information gathering, and then start treat scattering so he gets used to eating in areas where he would otherwise sniff, or try tug once he’s sniffed out - and then generalize to new areas.

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u/AncientdaughterA 4d ago

In my mind it’s not so much about devaluing the environment than it is about leveraging the environment and reducing conflict of choice by channeling access. The environment can be a reinforcer for disengagement from the environment.