What to Reward and What to Ignore in Dog Training

Understanding What to Reward and What to Ignore

If you want a calm, reliable dog, you need a simple rule you can use every day. Know what to reward and what to ignore. This one skill changes everything. It removes guesswork, builds clear habits, and creates a dog that chooses the right behaviour on its own.

At Smart Dog Training we use the Smart Method to teach families exactly what to do in real life. A certified Smart Master Dog Trainer shows you how to mark and pay good choices, and when to ignore or guide past poor choices. The result is consistent behaviour that lasts at home, on walks, and around real distractions.

In this guide you will learn what to reward and what to ignore at each stage of training, how to time your markers, when to step in with fair guidance, and how to set simple routines that make good behaviour easy for your dog.

The Smart Method Foundation

The Smart Method is our structured, progressive, outcome driven system for family dogs. It blends motivation, clarity, and accountability so your dog understands rules and wants to follow them.

Clarity and Markers

Dogs learn fastest when feedback is clear. We use precise marker words to say yes you got it or no try again. A crisp yes marks the exact moment your dog meets the rule. Then the reward follows. This clarity lets your dog link the reward to the behaviour you want.

Pressure and Release That Is Fair

Guidance should be calm and fair. We teach gentle pressure and release so the dog learns how to turn pressure off by choosing the right answer. The release is the best teacher. Done well, this builds accountability without conflict.

Motivation, Progression, and Trust

Rewards create buy in. We use food, toys, and life rewards to keep dogs engaged. Then we layer distraction, duration, and distance in small steps until the behaviour holds anywhere. Because your feedback is consistent, trust grows and your dog relaxes into the work.

Puppy vs Adult Dogs

Puppies and adult dogs both benefit from clear rules. The difference is what they can handle and how you set the scene. For puppies, focus on easy wins and lots of short reps. For adults, add structure and proofing in real environments.

With puppies, spend time on what to reward and what to ignore in simple daily moments. Mark and pay calm, eye contact, following, and settling. Ignore scattered fidgeting when it is safe to do so. Redirect with a cue only when the puppy is stuck. For adult dogs, use the same plan but add firm structure around doorways, lead walking, and guests, so the dog cannot rehearse messy habits.

Reward the Right Things Every Day

Reward is how you vote for behaviour. You get more of what you pay. If you reward the right things, your dog will repeat them by choice. Here is what to reward and what to ignore in common moments.

Loose Lead Walking and Calm

Reward a soft lead, a calm pace, and a quick check in with you. Mark the instant the lead goes slack or your dog swings an ear toward you. Pay often at first, then stretch out time between rewards as the habit sticks.

Ignore mild sniff stalls if your rule allows short sniff breaks. If the dog forges or zigzags, apply calm guidance with pressure and release. When the dog returns to position and the lead softens, mark and pay. This teaches your dog that calm alignment and a soft lead turn pressure off and bring reward.

Settle on a Mat

Teach a simple place or mat behaviour indoors. Reward any choice to lie down, stay still, and remain relaxed while life happens. Start by paying each few seconds of quiet. Then add small bursts of movement around the room. Mark the first stillness after a distraction, then pay. Your dog learns that calm focus wins.

Ignore fidgeting that lasts a second or two if your dog can reset on their own. If they get up and wander, guide back with a lead, place them on the mat, and release pressure when they settle. Mark and pay the first still breath.

Recall and Check In

Reward any spontaneous check in, even before you call. When you do call, be generous. Use a happy tone, mark the moment your dog turns toward you, then pay at your side. Build a habit where coming to you is the clear best choice.

Ignore light hesitation for a second, but step in if your dog freezes or scans. If recall stalls, shorten the distance, remove distraction, or use gentle guidance to help them succeed. When they commit and arrive, mark and pay with high value reward.

What to Ignore and When

Ignoring is a powerful tool when used with intent. It removes the payoff for behaviour that exists only to get your attention. The key is safety and timing. Here is what to reward and what to ignore in common attention seeking moments.

Demand Barking and Attention Seeking

If your dog stands in front of you and barks for play, food, or fuss, do not look at them, speak to them, or touch them. That attention keeps the behaviour alive. Instead, wait for a split second of quiet. Mark the quiet, then reward calm in a way that does not spike arousal. Over time your dog learns that quiet and patience make you engage.

Set your dog up to win. Feed on a schedule, give structured training time, and meet exercise needs so your dog is not using demand barking to fill a gap. If barking persists or escalates, guide the dog to a mat, reward the first quiet breath, and build duration there.

Jumping and Pawing

Jumping often works because people laugh, squeal, or push the dog. Even a push is attention. When safe, stand tall and turn slightly away. Wait for four feet on the floor. Mark the instant paws touch down, then reward calmly. If your dog launches again, reset. Repeat until your dog tries a sit or calm stand. Mark and pay that choice.

Give your dog a better job to do. Ask for a sit before greetings, then pay. Ask for a place when guests arrive, then pay calm. You are teaching what to reward and what to ignore in a way that does not leave the dog guessing.

Ready to turn your dog’s behaviour around? Book a Free Assessment and connect with a certified Smart Master Dog Trainer available across the UK.

When Ignoring Is Not the Answer

Ignoring does not fix behaviours that are reinforced by the environment, feel good to the dog, or pose risk. Chasing wildlife, fence running, resource guarding, reactivity, or any sign of fear or aggression must be addressed with structure, guidance, and a clear training plan.

Use the Smart Method to guide. Step in with calm lead control. Remove the dog from the trigger if they cannot think. Ask for a simple behaviour like heel or place. Mark and reward the first calm breath. Then rebuild the challenge in tiny steps so your dog can make better choices. If you are unsure, work with a Smart Master Dog Trainer who can shape a plan specific to your dog.

How the Smart Method Decides What to Reward and What to Ignore

Families often ask for a simple checklist. Here is how we decide in sessions and classes at Smart Dog Training.

• If the behaviour is safe and only seeks attention, ignore it until you get a tiny slice of the right behaviour. Then mark and reward that slice.
• If the behaviour breaks a clear rule that protects safety or calm, step in with guidance. Use pressure and release with clean timing. Mark and pay when the dog returns to the rule.
• If the behaviour is neutral and helpful to life, pay it often. Calm in the house, quiet in the car, eye contact on walks, and soft lead are all worth reward.
• If the behaviour has its own reward in the environment, do not rely on ignoring. Block rehearsal, set up training, and pay correct choices generously.

This process keeps your feedback neutral and consistent. Your dog learns exactly what to reward and what to ignore without confusion.

Smart Reward Mechanics That Work

Good timing multiplies progress. Here is how to make your reward process crisp and easy.

• Marker words. Use a single clear yes for correct. Use a calm good for duration. Avoid chatter.
• Placement of reward. Deliver food where you want your dog to be. At your side for heel, on the mat for place, at your feet for recall.
• Rate of reinforcement. Start high. Pay many small wins. Then stretch out the time between rewards as your dog succeeds.
• Life rewards. Use door opens, release to sniff, or a toss of a toy as part of your reward plan. These teach real world self control.
• Keep arousal in check. If food or toys spike your dog, pay slower and lower. Pet calmly or use a soft yes with a pause.

Daily Routines That Teach

Routines make training part of normal life. Plan short moments each day where the rule is clear and the reward is ready.

Doorways. Ask for a sit or stand and eye contact. The door opens only when the dog is calm. Mark and pay calm before you release through the door. If your dog surges, the door stays closed and you reset.

Mealtimes. Ask for a short stay before the bowl goes down. Mark stillness, place the bowl, then release. This is what to reward and what to ignore at a time when your dog is excited. Calm unlocks food.

Guests. Give your dog a job. Place on a mat or sit beside you. Reward four feet on the floor, quiet, and eye contact. Ignore whining or head nudges if safe. If your dog escalates, guide back to place and pay calm.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even caring owners can feed the wrong behaviours by mistake. These are the big three we fix in Smart Dog Training programmes.

• Accidental payment. Looking at, talking to, or touching a dog that is barking or jumping pays the wrong thing. Hold your line, wait for calm, then reward.
• Talking too much. Constant chatter blurs the picture. Say less. Mark and reward more.
• Inconsistent rules. Family members must follow the same plan for what to reward and what to ignore. Make it simple and write it on the fridge.

Measuring Progress the Smart Way

Progress should be visible in daily life. Use these simple checks each week.

• Latency. Does your dog respond faster to cues and settle quicker after a distraction
• Duration. Can your dog hold calm for longer in place while life happens
• Generalisation. Does the behaviour hold up in new rooms, on new streets, and around new people
• Rehearsal. Are bad habits happening less often or not at all

If you are not moving forward, simplify the picture. Lower the distraction, shorten the rep, or raise the reward value. Then rebuild slowly. This is progression done right.

How a Smart Master Dog Trainer Can Help

Knowing what to reward and what to ignore is simple to say but hard to apply in busy life. An SMDT coaches timing, reward choices, and calm guidance so you get steady results. In home sessions, structured classes, and tailored behaviour programmes follow the Smart Method from first lesson to full reliability.

We start with a clear assessment, define goals, and map a step by step plan that fits your family. Your trainer will show you exactly when to ignore, when to guide, and how to pay good choices so your dog learns fast without stress.

If you want a plan that works in the real world, we are here to help. Book a Free Assessment and get matched with an SMDT who understands your goals.

FAQs

What is the fastest way to decide what to reward and what to ignore
Ask one question. Does this behaviour help my dog stay calm and follow the rule I set If yes, mark and reward. If no and it is safe, ignore until your dog offers a better choice. If safety or clarity is at risk, guide with calm pressure and release, then pay the right choice.

Will ignoring make my dog feel confused or stressed
Not if the rules are clear and the next right choice is easy. We use short reps, simple setups, and fast rewards for the first correct choice. Confusion fades when your timing is crisp and your plan is consistent.

What should I use as a reward
Use what your dog values in that moment. Small food pieces for many reps, a quick toy play for energy, or a life reward like sniff time. Keep the dog below boiling point so they can think and learn.

Should I ignore growling or reactivity
No. Growling, reactivity, guarding, or any sign of fear or aggression needs structure and guidance. Remove triggers, create space, and work a plan with a Smart Master Dog Trainer so your dog can feel safe and learn new patterns.

How often should I reward calm in daily life
More than you think at first. Pay calm often in the house, at doorways, and on walks. Then slowly space out rewards while keeping your marker timing clean. The goal is to move from constant pay to variable pay while the behaviour stays solid.

Can I still love and cuddle my dog if I am ignoring some behaviours
Yes. You are not ignoring your dog. You are ignoring specific attention seeking behaviours. Give affection for calm, polite choices. That is how you teach your dog which choices open the tap to your attention.

What if my dog repeats the same mistake over and over
That means the environment or your feedback still pays it. Block rehearsal, make the right choice easier, and pay it well. Short, structured reps beat long, messy sessions.

Conclusion

The fastest way to change behaviour is to get crystal clear on what to reward and what to ignore. Reward calm, focus, and rule following. Ignore safe attention seeking when you can. Guide with fair pressure and release when you must. Use clean markers and right sized rewards. Build daily routines that keep your dog winning.

This is how the Smart Method delivers results for families across the UK. Your dog can be calm, confident, and reliable with the right plan and coaching.

Your dog deserves training that truly works. With certified Smart Master Dog Trainers SMDTs nationwide, you will get proven results backed by the UK’s most trusted dog training network. Find a Trainer Near You