Training Tuesday: Screw Up Cookies (Your Dog's Plan B)

When you "screw up," ask your dog for a simple behavior -- and reinforce that.

This article is shared with permission from Susan Garrett's Dog Training Blog.

Have you ever made a mistake when training your dog? It’s safe to say we all have. Recently, we looked at having a Plan B when our dog does something unexpected, so in fairness to our dogs, this post covers when our dogs might need a Plan B for us!

Our dog’s response to our errors will range from shutting down to stressing up, but it does not need to be that way. Something I have been using and advocating for more years than I can remember is what I call “screw up cookies.”

A “screw up cookie” is for when we make a mistake. As soon as we make the mistake, we ask our dog for a simple behavior and reward that behavior. Asking for a simple behavior ensures we are not rewarding our dog for something that we don’t want. There is a massive difference between "purposeful" and "mindless" reinforcing.

The behavior to ask the dog for could be a sit, down, or hand touch, and the reward a quick game of tug or a cookie given "on the move" or with a "paws up." It’s a simple behavior our dog is very clear on, that we can reinforce immediately to keep our dog’s drive and motivation for working with us.

Dog training requires mechanical skills, so we will make errors, and that’s okay. Embracing your mistakes as opportunities for your dog to earn reinforcement with a “screw up cookie” will help maintain your connection with your dog and maintain the joy and enthusiasm for both of you. If one of you in the team is not having fun, then neither will the other one.

We could make mistakes in any part of our dog training, but for dog agility and other dog sports, there are many mechanical skills for us humans to master. Sometimes when we make an error, it might be tempting to go back to the start and repeat the exercise, often over and over until we get it right, and in that time our dog will not be getting any reinforcement and losing confidence from our mistakes. A lack of confidence is the number one reason for either the lack of drive or "too much" drive in many dogs.

We might even forget about our dog while we try to figure out what went wrong. We might sigh, shake our head or otherwise display frustration at ourselves. All of these things are de-motivating for our dogs. If you need thinking time, give your dog a “screw up cookie” and then send him to his bed or crate while you figure it out. That gives him a job to do that he will value and find reinforcing from the foundations that you have built in Crate Games.

Next time you make an error, see it as an opportunity to reinforce your dog!

If you are unsure if you made a mistake, give your dog the benefit of the doubt. If you are learning a skill that is new for you, practice without your dog at first. Bring your dog into the training session when you are comfortable with where you need to be and what you are doing. Embrace videoing your training sessions so you can review your mechanics.

Keeping and building drive is important for all dogs. This is a vital element of good dog training even if your dog is over the top. Some dogs will stress "low" and others "high." Your skills as a dog trainer will help your dog no matter where he is on the drive spectrum. Using “screw up cookies” should become part of your training. Live by the rule “a mistake is a chance to reward that which is correct.”

Had you heard of “screw up cookies”? I know that this silly name I made up has been in the mainstream for a long time, and that many of you are using “screw up cookies” with great benefit to your dog training. 

Today I am grateful for everyone who is striving to maintain their dog’s joy in daily life, training and in competition sports.

About Susan Garrett

Susan Garrett’s interest in animal behavior started at the University of Guelph where she earned a Bachelor of Science majoring in Animal Science. Since then she has developed into a pre-eminent canine sports instructor and competitor. Susan is one of the most successful agility competitors of the last two decades. She has won multiple Gold Medals at National or World Championship events with every dog she has ever owned over the past 30 years.

A natural teacher and an entertaining speaker, Susan is a leading educator of dog trainers. Her understanding of how to apply learning principles to practical and competitive dog training has made her a much sought-after speaker throughout North America and as far away as Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The Dog Writers Association of America named Susan’s book “Shaping Success” the 2005 "Dog Training and Behaviour Book of the Year." 

Read more about Susan and her training philosophy.