A TWIST TO THE INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAM...WITH MY FURRY PET

• Getting my furry pet, merely 20 days old, a lovely female labrador, a bundle of  joy, overflowing with energy meant adding an extra dose of happiness to our already happy family.
  
• She is really a bright spark. Within no time she grasped all the basic commands we taught her. Thanks to the training given by a brilliant dog trainer.
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• At the drop of the hat, she follows the basic commands of SIT, LIE DOWN, UP, STOP, STAY, NO, COME, DROP IT, FETCH, SHAKE HAND, LEASH WALKING.
• But one aspect that needed attention was the behaviour in respect of pee training. 
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• On the very first day of her arrival, being just twenty days old puppy, we had trained her to use a mat that lay at the door of washroom to relieve herself, fearing that if she is allowed to go inside, she would harm herself being a tiny tot and also due to puppy excitement fiddling with the things.
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• Alas! we made a mistake!! Yes, we made a big mistake!!! The responsibility of solving any behavioral problem in puppies /dogs solely lies on its owner. The experts and the trainers guide us to solve it. But applying proper obedience training at an early stage is very essential. Had we allowed her to step inside the washroom, there would not have been any mess.
• A puppy is just like a newborn human baby who needs to relieve almost ten times in a day which gradually reduces as it grows. So with that rate, it became increasingly difficult for me to wash/dispose off the soiled mats. 
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• All my efforts to cajole her with treats  to go inside the washroom and not at its entrance to perform the desired act went pear shaped. She was determined to follow what she was taught initially. 
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• TREATS. 
  

• They are powerful training tools like rewards given to reinforce any behaviour in dogs. If the desired behaviour is achieved, dogs are given their favourite treats with lavish praises. 
• It is like stepping in the shoes of the corporate world of incentive reward programme. 
• No amount of tempting treats to lure my brat to go inside the washroom was helping.
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• My furry pooch religiously used the space at the entrance of the washroom to relieve herself though we started keeping the mat inside the washroom. 
• Reading almost every Web page about  how to bring a change in the behaviour pattern of a dog, implementing them did not yield the desired change.
• In my search for the solution,
•    I decided to put the cart before the horse, by giving a twist to the
•  INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAMME knowing that I was grasping at straw. 
• Yes I started giving rewards before the act. The moment I sensed my puppy rushing towards the washroom door I use to give her some treat.
•  VOILA!!!!! 
• The desired performance was achieved. 
• Eventually, my pooch started stepping inside the washroom to relieve herself only after a treat. 
• I knew I was taking a risk of encouraging a wrong behaviour in my pooch as the reward preceded the act,  but in any case I was glad that there were no more soiled mats.
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• Reversing the programme worked
• Yes, it did. 
• Each dog is unique. There are exceptions to the rule as well.
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• In a matter of few days.. However... To my surprise....My super intelligent brat soon  learnt the tricks of the trade. I think she knew that she had to set the incentive reward programme right.
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• At last,..
• She eventually learnt that she should not be asking a treat beforehand!!
• HOORAY!!!! 
• Finally me and my furry succeeded. Joint Effort indeed.
  
• EVERY VISIT OF MY POOCH TO THE WASHROOM MEANT PERFORMING THE DESIRED ACT INSIDE THE WASHROOM THEN RUNNING TOWARDS ME AFTER THE PERFORMANCE WITH THAT TARGET ACHIEVED TWINKLE IN EYES WITH DROOL FOR A REWARD!!!!! 
  
• No more worries of giving the rewards before hand. We were back to the normal incentive reward programme!!!
• I have realised that, to bring a positive change in the behaviour of a pooch is not a piece of cake.
•  A lot of patience, perseverance and my furry's trait of grasping things finally cut the mustard.
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• A LITTLE TWIST TO THE INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAM WORKED, 
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•     IT WAS THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD!!!!! 
•     I can't believe I ever worked without it. 

•  As of today, my puppy has grown into a disciplined, lovely female dog, who does not require any treats to use the washroom. 
• On that note that I would say...... 
• All Pet lovers and pet parents, you all will agree with me that our furry pets are one of the biggest blessings in our life and they have the capacity for the kind of unconditional love that is seen otherwise only between a human and it's offsprings.
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