Transfer of Value Works Two Ways

You absolutely know when your dog loves something. Food, walks, tennis balls—whatever floats your dog’s boat is easy to see in the wiggles, grins, and wags you get when you reach for it.

All those things your dog loves should go straight into your training toolbox. Those are all rewards you can use in your training.

If you want to get clinical about it, it’s called “transfer of value.” You associate something your dog loves with something they’re not as crazy about. Dogs, being the honest creatures they are, will start showing enthusiasm for the not-so-loved thing.

The Dark Side Of Transfer Of Value

Unfortunately, this training truth can be used for evil. Lately we’ve been seeing people commenting on training posts that “My dog loves his e-collar (shock collar).”

No dog likes getting shocked. No sane, sentient being likes being hurt—or threatened with pain. If it “works” to suppress behavior even when it’s turned off, as someone we know claimed, it’s because the dog believes the threat is still there. The dog has no way of knowing that it’s off, or what shock voltage it’s set to if it’s on.

So why would a dog get all excited when the owner picks up the device? Because the dog knows that means they’re going someplace. Going out—whether for a walk, a car ride, playing fetch, or going to the doggy park—is fun. The dog has transferred the value of the activity to the collar. Fun things happen when the collar goes on.

Does it mean that dogs are stupid for not wilting whenever the shock collar comes out? No. It means dogs are eternal optimists and hope for the best, always.

Use Your Power For Good

So what’s an appropriate and benign use for transfer of value?

We believe that every dog should be comfortable in a crate. Long after housebreaking is accomplished, dogs need to maintain crate calm.

It’s a just-in-case skill for dogs. In case:

• The dog needs to be hospitalized
• They have to wait their turn at the groomer
• The hotel you’re at requires dogs to be crated in the room
• There’s a natural disaster and your family is evacuated

You can get your dog to be happy in a crate by using something they love.

The simplest scenario is if your dog is an enthusiastic eater. Just feed them in the crate. Don’t close the door—just put the food in the crate. When the dog runs in, close the door for a moment. Gradually increase the time the door is shut until your dog considers it no big deal.

Over time, when you say “Kennel Up!” your dog will dash over and eagerly anticipate getting food.

If tennis balls—or any toys—are your dog’s run-through-fire thing, use that. Put the crate, open, right where you’re playing. Accidentally-on-purpose toss the ball in the crate. If the dog won’t go in to get it, toss another one just inside. Don’t move, or give your dog any reason to think you’re going to shut the door. Just sit there and toss toys in the crate.

Sooner or later (remember the Hardest Part Of Dog Training?), the dog’s going to go get their toy. When it’s routine for them to go in and come out, start closing the door behind them, just for an instant. Open it right away and continue the game. We don’t want the dog to feel trapped.

Use It Wisely

We recently mentioned how we used our dog’s adored celery to teach “Tug!” Be creative when you’re thinking about things you’d like your dog to do, and what your dog values.

Let’s face it—transfer of value works on people, too. It’s easier with people, because we can see the reward at the end of a task. Even if we don’t like the job, we know what we get at the end is worth the slog through. We may not wiggle and grin, but we know.