Positive reinforcement training is an effective method to shape your dog’s behaviour and the guiding principle at NWT SPCA. Mental games are of huge benefit to both people and pets. If you are looking for new ways to exercise your pet, there is a wealth of training and enrichment resources available online that can help keep your pets preoccupied and happy. It is also important to start practicing training activities that help us manage and correct many issues, such as separation anxiety, through positive reinforcement and force-free training. What is positive reinforcement training? Have you noticed how much your dog loves being praised and is more focused on you when food or a toy is involved? Positive reinforcement training uses all of these things to encourage good doggie behaviors. The idea is that an immediate reward of praise accompanied by a treat or toy means that your dog is likely to repeat these actions. Positive reinforcement training can include food treats, praise, petting, or a favorite toy or game. Since most dogs are highly food-motivated, food treats work especially well for training. A treat should be enticing and irresistible to your pet. Experiment a bit to see which treats work best.