Why train with play over food?
The power of play, enhancing the relationship between dog and owner.
The power of play: Enhancing the relationship between dog and owner.
The concept of using play to train dogs is not a novel idea. In 2001, Steven R Lindsey discussed the use of "Chase and catch" and "possession games" in his book "Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training Volume Two, Etiology and Assessment of Behavior Problems."
Three years ago, as a relatively new trainer who had been using food for shaping and luring in all my training sessions, the idea of exclusively training with play intrigued me. Curious for more insights, I turned to successful IGP trainers (Internationale Gebrauchshunde Prüfungsordnung), particularly noting Ivan Balabanov's approach. Balabanov, having won two world championships and more than 15 national championships, employed a training methodology based solely on play. I invested in his video collection, which covered topics such as Chase and catch, possession games, and the out.
Implementing play instead of food as a reinforcer brought about noticeable changes in my dogs' and clients emotional states during obedience training. They exhibited increased motivation, faster responses to commands, and an overall sense of happiness. During Balabanov's video on chase and catch, he referenced Jaak Panksepp, a neuroscientist specializing in understanding play.
Panksepp defined play as a primary emotion, inherent in humans and animals like fear. According to him, the drive to play is as fundamental as the drives for food and sleep. Panksepp's research indicated that play is not a learned behavior but an innate emotion deeply rooted in the brain, as even rats without a neocortex engage in normal play (See “The Science of Emotions” for more information).
Understanding classical conditioning is crucial in this context because the emotion becomes associated with the behavior itself. When comparing play to food, the emotional display from a dog engaged in play is distinct from that of a dog receiving food. My dog would never pick play over food after I built the proper motivation, showcasing a clear preference for play even over high-value treats. Play, as an innate and primal emotion, holds unique characteristics that food does not. It is much more than a simple reinforcer. Creating obedience as a game itself, rather than something only done for food, can lead to a much more powerful relationship. This approach increases the motivation in your dog and makes obedience something your dog looks forward to, rather than something they do for food or have to do with force.
Note: I am not a training without conflict certified trainer and am not affiliated with Ivan Balabanov in any way.
Sources:
Why we play:
https://www.nifplay.org/what-is-play/biological-drive-to-play/#:~:text=Play%20Is%20a%20Biological%20Drive,part%20of%20the%20human%20brain.
The molecular and genetic mechanisms of neocortex development:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2771632/#:~:text=In%20its%20human%20form%20the,action%2C%20cognition%2C%20and%20consciousness.
The science of emotions, Jaak Panksepp Ted Talk: