Like kids with their Halloween candy, do dogs rank the treats that we provide to them? Many trainers selectively use what we call “high-value treats” for some behaviors and “low-value treats” for others. However, other than subjectively observing the level of our dog’s pleasure at receiving different types of treats, do we have actual evidence that treats vary in their influence upon learning? For example, does my Chippy learn faster or more efficiently when I use homemade tuna treats versus small, dry biscuits? Intuitively, I think that he does, since he almost climbs into the oven when he smells his treats baking (the only thing I am even remotely capable of producing in the kitchen, by the way).
HMMMM…….I DO LIKE MOM’S TUNA TREATS…
Lucky for us, some scientists have already asked this question and are providing some answers.
The Study: Mariana Bentosela and her co-investigators trained a group of 13 adult (pet) dogs to offer eye contact using either a high incentive treat (dried liver pieces), or a low incentive treat (dry…
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