In This Video
Your puppy is wiggly, excited and not quite ready to settle in, so how do you get her on the same plan? This video lays out a “frequent flyer” rewards program for early training: a high rate of reward in what we call the Goldilocks Zone, about 8 to 12 rewards per minute, rep after rep, with smooth delivery. You'll learn how to practice the pace with a one-minute timer and when it's time to slow down.
Key Moments
- 0:07 — Ready to train, and your puppy isn't
- 0:40 — The key to engagement: rewards, and lots of them
- 1:11 — Frequent flyer miles and your dog's loyalty program
- 1:43 — Build attention span gradually: train fast
- 2:13 — The Goldilocks Zone: 8 to 12 rewards per minute
- 3:17 — Keep momentum: reward and move to the next rep
- 3:49 — Practice with a one-minute timer
- 4:20 — When to slow the pace, and when to start fast again
Full Transcript
The doggy frequent rewards program. Once you've watched the video front to back for the first behavior you're excited to teach your pup, you've chosen an optimal location to train and you've carefully considered possible distractions. You're laser-focused and all set to take off, right? You begin with the first step. Your dog is wiggly and excited. Apparently she's not ready; she'd rather run circles around you and bite her tail than settle in for training. Whoa, settle down there, Miss Fuzzy Tutu.
How do you get your frisky pet onto the same plan? The key to engaging your cavorting canine: rewards, and lots of them, especially in your early sessions.
Have you ever used frequent flyer miles? Even if you just end up with a magazine subscription, it sure feels great to receive a bonus, right? And don't those reward miles get you thinking, “If I just traveled more, I could earn my free trip sooner”? The right loyalty rewards program can get you to go the extra mile, literally.
Turns out your dog is no different, especially in early learning. It's up to you to ensure your dog's interest remains high. Soon enough, training will become your pet's absolute favorite game, but you'll have to build up your pup's attention span gradually. When you first start training your dog, you'll want to train fast. Not so fast that you begin flapping around like Henny Penny, but fast enough to keep your exuberant pooch focused on training. And rewards, rewards, rewards.
Here's the frequent flyer rewards plan that's tailored just for your pup. In the early steps of each behavior plan, your goal is to keep your rate of reward delivery high. You'll want to dial in what we call the Goldilocks Zone: not too many, not too few, but just right. That Goldilocks Zone is about 8 to 12 rewards per minute.
You're thinking, whoa, 8 to 12? That's a lot more than the sad little bag of peanuts your flight attendant tossed your way. And it is. Now you know why we recommend you train before serving up supper. Keep those rewards coming, mile after mile. Only in training, you're rewarding for reps rather than miles. You want your dog to repeat the behaviors rep after rep after rep.
No coffee breaks for you once you begin the training session; best to have that double espresso beforehand. You want to keep the momentum going. As soon as your dog has performed the behavior, deliver a reward and move swiftly to the very next rep. Flying in these rewards on time and with a smooth delivery is where your practice with the pouch, learned in the Game On video, will come in very handy.
To get yourself used to the Goldilocks frequency and timing, set a one-minute timer, then count your rewards as you deliver them. This will help you build your skills until the Goldilocks pace becomes more natural for you. You'll love the way your dog responds, and challenging yourself to beat the clock can be a lot of fun for you too. It's a great way to see your gains as you and your dog both improve. The experts you see in training, the ones who make it all look so effortless? They started out with a timer too.
You'll want to continue your generous rewards until your dog realizes that training sessions are the best game going. Once he's eagerly coming back for more, or whenever your dog has performed the new task, you can slow the pace down a bit. But when you begin training each new behavior, be sure to take off from the Goldilocks Zone. Every new lesson and each new behavior you want to teach is always best achieved by rapid reward at the start.
When you set yourself up for success in the earliest stages, you'll be impressed with just how high you and your companion can fly. Dogs are incredibly clever, and when you meet them exactly where they're currently at, with the right rewards, you'll be astounded at how quickly they reward you with great behaviors.
If rewards “stop working,” it’s rarely because a puppy is stubborn or manipulative. It’s usually because motivation, emotion, or clarity broke down somewhere along the way.
In this video, I explain how rewards actually function in puppy training, why motivation comes before obedience, and what to do when engagement disappears — without resorting to pressure, fear, or force.
Why Rewards Work in Puppy Training
Rewards are one of the most misunderstood tools in dog training.
They’re often framed as bribery.
As something you’ll “have to fade.”
As a shortcut that creates dependency.
But that misunderstanding comes from looking at rewards as objects — instead of understanding them as information.
Rewards don’t create behavior.
They communicate value.
Motivation Is the Gateway to Learning
Before a puppy can learn what to do, they have to feel motivated to engage at all.
Motivation answers three essential questions for a puppy:
Is this interaction safe?
Is it worth participating?
Do my actions make sense here?
If the answer to any of those is “no,” learning stalls — no matter how skilled the trainer is.
This is why motivation comes before obedience.
A puppy who feels regulated and engaged will offer behavior freely.
A puppy who feels pressured will either shut down or push back.
Rewards Aren’t Bribes — They’re Feedback
A bribe is offered before a behavior to force compliance.
A reward is delivered after a behavior to give feedback:
“Yes. That worked.”
That distinction matters.
Rewards help puppies understand:
which choices lead to good outcomes
how to repeat behavior successfully
when they’re on the right track
This is especially important early in learning, when clarity is fragile and confidence is still forming.
When Rewards “Stop Working”
When people say rewards stopped working, what they’re really describing is a break in motivation.
Common causes include:
asking for skills in environments that are too overwhelming
raising criteria too quickly
training when a puppy is tired, stressed, or dysregulated
using rewards inconsistently or without clarity
In these moments, the solution isn’t bigger rewards or firmer correction — it’s better information.
That might mean:
lowering expectations
increasing distance from distractions
breaking skills into smaller pieces
rebuilding engagement before asking for compliance
Why Pressure Backfires
Pressure can produce short-term compliance, but it comes at a cost.
Puppies trained under pressure may:
respond slower over time
avoid engagement
lose curiosity
associate learning with stress
Rewards, used correctly, do the opposite.
They build:
confidence
emotional resilience
willingness to try again after mistakes
trust in the learning process
That trust is what allows boundaries to be introduced later — without trauma.
Fading Rewards the Right Way
Rewards don’t disappear.
They evolve.
As puppies mature and skills stabilize:
rewards become more intermittent
life rewards replace food (movement, access, play)
engagement itself becomes reinforcing
This isn’t something you rush.
It happens naturally when motivation, clarity, and trust are intact.
When people try to remove rewards too early, behavior doesn’t strengthen — it collapses.
The Takeaway
Rewards aren’t about spoiling dogs or avoiding boundaries.
They’re about teaching puppies:
how to succeed
how to stay regulated while learning
how to trust that effort is worth it
When motivation is honored first, obedience becomes reliable later.
That’s not permissive training.
That’s developmentally appropriate training.
Puppies starting under 16 weeks begin in Puppy & Me, and dogs 16 weeks to a year start in Life Skills 101 — both at our Eden Prairie school. For dogs of any age, we also come to you with in-home training.
Until next time, have fun and enjoy your dog.
— Jody & your Dog Life Coaches
