September 11, 2025 • 7 mins
In this episode, Amy from BAXTER & Bella explains one of the most powerful concepts in dog training—intermittent reinforcement.
You’ll learn:
- What intermittent reinforcement is and why it works
- How it helps build stronger, more reliable behaviors
- Real-life examples for recall, loose leash walking, and tricks
- Common mistakes to avoid, like fading rewards too soon or accidentally reinforcing unwanted behaviors
If you’ve ever wondered when to stop rewarding every single sit or recall, this episode will help you understand how to make good behaviors last a lifetime.
Follow us on social media
Instagram @BAXTERandBella
Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool
YouTube @BAXTERandBella
Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips!
Check out our FREE resources!
Join our membership here.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today we are talking about one of the most powerful
concepts in dog trainingintermittent reinforcement.
It sounds kind of fancy, butdon't worry, it's something you
already see every day and onceyou understand it, it can
completely change the way youtrain your dog.
Welcome to the Puppy TrainingPodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter Bella, the online puppy
(00:21):
school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hey everybody, thanks forlistening to our podcast.
(00:47):
We had a big announcement atthe 1st of September.
We talked about ourcollaboration with Good Dog
Service Canines.
We are super excited to workwith them.
This has been in the making fora while and we are helping them
build an online resource foryou to train your own service
dog from home.
So the way it works is youstart with us here at Baxter and
(01:08):
Bella, you're going to do thatfirst year of training with our
program and then, at that point,we'll send you over to Good Dog
and you can do your finishingtraining with them.
So super cool.
We're really excited about it.
Check out our website for moreinformation.
You can also visit them at GoodDog Service Canines.
(01:29):
Okay, today we are talkingintermittent reinforcement, and
I know that sounds kind of likewhat is that, or is it necessary
?
But this, you guys, is a gamechanger when it comes to dog
training.
So let's start with the basics.
Intermittent reinforcementmeans that a behavior is
rewarded sometimes, but notevery single time.
So when we first get a puppyand we're teaching them a new
behavior, we're like a PEZdispenser.
Right, they do something, welike it, we pay them, we pay
(01:51):
them, we pay them, and Iencourage you to pay them for
that first year of life a lotright Now.
In those first 12 months,though, we're going to start to
change over to this idea ofintermittent reinforcement.
We reinforce every once in awhile.
In psychology, this comes fromoperant conditioning, and it's
the same principle behind whyslot machines are so addictive
(02:13):
or why we keep checking socialmedia to see if someone liked
our post.
The possibility of a rewardkeeps us coming back for more.
When we're teaching a newbehavior like sit or come when
called, we do want to rewardconsistently at first.
That's going to help our puppyclearly connect the dots between
their action and the reward.
(02:33):
So it's important when teachingthese new behaviors that our
puppy understands I did this, Igot a reward, I did this, I got
a reward.
And we have to pair thattogether consistently for them
to learn that pattern ofbehavior.
But once they really understand, we don't need to reward every
single time.
In fact, when we start mixingit up and rewarding
(02:56):
unpredictably, we get three bigbenefits.
First, we get stronger behavior.
Dogs stay more motivatedbecause they don't know when the
jackpot will come, but theyknow it will come.
Number two is persistence.
They'll keep offering thatbehavior, hoping that this might
be the time they earn somethinggreat.
And number three is resistanceto extinction, meaning the
(03:18):
behavior sticks around even ifyou don't reward every single
time.
Let's talk about how to use thisin real life.
Let's start with recall.
Once your dog has a solid come,sometimes reward with a food
treat, sometimes with a big gameof tug and sometimes just with
praise.
Every once in a while give ajackpot reward like five food
(03:40):
rewards in a row.
This keeps recall strong.
You can also take this conceptand use a treat hierarchy
concept.
So they might get half aCheerio this time and next time
they get a praise and then thenext time you play with them and
then the next time you ask fortwo or three behaviors in a row
and then all of a sudden theyget a little piece of chicken.
(04:00):
You can see why it's importantto start out with consistent
payments so they learn thepatterns of behavior and they
really understand what sit meansand what come means.
We have to have thoseestablished first.
So, yes, we are using a lot ofrewards in the beginning with
these young puppies, but we dowant to transition them over to
(04:21):
this intermittent reinforcementas they grow and mature.
Okay, let's do another example.
Let's talk loose leash walking,sometimes a food reward,
sometimes permission to go sniffa bush, sometimes a cheerful
good job that unpredictabilityis going to keep your dog
checking in and, like Imentioned, reward them with a
higher value food rewardsometimes because they don't
(04:43):
know when that next little pieceof turkey is going to come, or
that next little piece ofchicken right or freeze-dried
liver.
So I'm not handing out thosehigh value rewards very often,
they just are coming once in awhile.
Okay, let's talk tricks.
When you're practicing rolloveror shake.
Don't feel pressured to rewardevery single time, because a lot
of this is just fun and it'splayful and they love play.
(05:06):
So keep it fun and surprisethem here and there with those
food rewards that they love.
Or maybe they give you a highfive and you toss their favorite
toy to go chase.
There are a couple of importantthings to remember.
First, don't start intermittentreinforcement too early.
Your puppy again needs to fullyunderstand the behavior first
and be careful not toaccidentally use this with
(05:27):
unwanted behaviors.
So while it works great for alot of things, it can also work
against us.
For example, if your dog barksat you and sometimes you give in
with attention, guess whatYou've just taught them?
That barking pays offunpredictably and we don't want
that.
That makes barking harder tostop.
Another example of intermittentreinforcement that works
(05:49):
against us is counter surfing.
That's where your dog putstheir paws up on the table or
the counter and tries to findfood in your kitchens.
We don't want that behavior.
But unfortunately, if one timethey do that and they get a
piece of pizza, they're going tokeep trying that behavior
because, hey, that one time theyfound that piece of pizza.
They're going to keep tryingthat behavior because, hey, that
one time they found that pieceof pizza.
(06:09):
So we have to be really carefulabout the way that we structure
our homes and manage our homesto set our dogs up for success
so that they're not gettingintermittently reinforced for
unwanted behavior.
All right, you guys remember,start with consistent rewards
while teaching.
Then, once your dog is reliable, we can mix it up, have some
fun.
Intermittent reinforcementkeeps your puppy engaged,
(06:29):
motivated and practicing goodbehaviors for the long haul.
Thanks for joining me today.
If you'd like more step-by-stepguidance on how this works,
check out our online trainingprogram at Baxter and Bella.
Our intermediate trainingcourse talks all about this
concept and how to use liferewards things that naturally
occur in your dog's everydaylife that they like.
(06:50):
For example, if they want to gooutside, opening the door and
letting them out is a reward.
We call it a life reward and weexplain that in our course.
Have a great week and happytraining.
Thanks for tuning in to thepuppy training podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency you can
(07:14):
create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
Today we are talking about one of the most powerful
concepts in dog trainingintermittent reinforcement.
It sounds kind of fancy, butdon't worry, it's something you
already see every day and onceyou understand it, it can
completely change the way youtrain your dog.
Welcome to the Puppy TrainingPodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter Bella, the online puppy
(00:21):
school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hey everybody, thanks forlistening to our podcast.
(00:47):
We had a big announcement atthe 1st of September.
We talked about ourcollaboration with Good Dog
Service Canines.
We are super excited to workwith them.
This has been in the making fora while and we are helping them
build an online resource foryou to train your own service
dog from home.
So the way it works is youstart with us here at Baxter and
(01:08):
Bella, you're going to do thatfirst year of training with our
program and then, at that point,we'll send you over to Good Dog
and you can do your finishingtraining with them.
So super cool.
We're really excited about it.
Check out our website for moreinformation.
You can also visit them at GoodDog Service Canines.
(01:29):
Okay, today we are talkingintermittent reinforcement, and
I know that sounds kind of likewhat is that, or is it necessary
?
But this, you guys, is a gamechanger when it comes to dog
training.
So let's start with the basics.
Intermittent reinforcementmeans that a behavior is
rewarded sometimes, but notevery single time.
So when we first get a puppyand we're teaching them a new
behavior, we're like a PEZdispenser.
Right, they do something, welike it, we pay them, we pay
(01:51):
them, we pay them, and Iencourage you to pay them for
that first year of life a lotright Now.
In those first 12 months,though, we're going to start to
change over to this idea ofintermittent reinforcement.
We reinforce every once in awhile.
In psychology, this comes fromoperant conditioning, and it's
the same principle behind whyslot machines are so addictive
(02:13):
or why we keep checking socialmedia to see if someone liked
our post.
The possibility of a rewardkeeps us coming back for more.
When we're teaching a newbehavior like sit or come when
called, we do want to rewardconsistently at first.
That's going to help our puppyclearly connect the dots between
their action and the reward.
(02:33):
So it's important when teachingthese new behaviors that our
puppy understands I did this, Igot a reward, I did this, I got
a reward.
And we have to pair thattogether consistently for them
to learn that pattern ofbehavior.
But once they really understand, we don't need to reward every
single time.
In fact, when we start mixingit up and rewarding
(02:56):
unpredictably, we get three bigbenefits.
First, we get stronger behavior.
Dogs stay more motivatedbecause they don't know when the
jackpot will come, but theyknow it will come.
Number two is persistence.
They'll keep offering thatbehavior, hoping that this might
be the time they earn somethinggreat.
And number three is resistanceto extinction, meaning the
(03:18):
behavior sticks around even ifyou don't reward every single
time.
Let's talk about how to use thisin real life.
Let's start with recall.
Once your dog has a solid come,sometimes reward with a food
treat, sometimes with a big gameof tug and sometimes just with
praise.
Every once in a while give ajackpot reward like five food
(03:40):
rewards in a row.
This keeps recall strong.
You can also take this conceptand use a treat hierarchy
concept.
So they might get half aCheerio this time and next time
they get a praise and then thenext time you play with them and
then the next time you ask fortwo or three behaviors in a row
and then all of a sudden theyget a little piece of chicken.
(04:00):
You can see why it's importantto start out with consistent
payments so they learn thepatterns of behavior and they
really understand what sit meansand what come means.
We have to have thoseestablished first.
So, yes, we are using a lot ofrewards in the beginning with
these young puppies, but we dowant to transition them over to
(04:21):
this intermittent reinforcementas they grow and mature.
Okay, let's do another example.
Let's talk loose leash walking,sometimes a food reward,
sometimes permission to go sniffa bush, sometimes a cheerful
good job that unpredictabilityis going to keep your dog
checking in and, like Imentioned, reward them with a
higher value food rewardsometimes because they don't
(04:43):
know when that next little pieceof turkey is going to come, or
that next little piece ofchicken right or freeze-dried
liver.
So I'm not handing out thosehigh value rewards very often,
they just are coming once in awhile.
Okay, let's talk tricks.
When you're practicing rolloveror shake.
Don't feel pressured to rewardevery single time, because a lot
of this is just fun and it'splayful and they love play.
(05:06):
So keep it fun and surprisethem here and there with those
food rewards that they love.
Or maybe they give you a highfive and you toss their favorite
toy to go chase.
There are a couple of importantthings to remember.
First, don't start intermittentreinforcement too early.
Your puppy again needs to fullyunderstand the behavior first
and be careful not toaccidentally use this with
(05:27):
unwanted behaviors.
So while it works great for alot of things, it can also work
against us.
For example, if your dog barksat you and sometimes you give in
with attention, guess whatYou've just taught them?
That barking pays offunpredictably and we don't want
that.
That makes barking harder tostop.
Another example of intermittentreinforcement that works
(05:49):
against us is counter surfing.
That's where your dog putstheir paws up on the table or
the counter and tries to findfood in your kitchens.
We don't want that behavior.
But unfortunately, if one timethey do that and they get a
piece of pizza, they're going tokeep trying that behavior
because, hey, that one time theyfound that piece of pizza.
They're going to keep tryingthat behavior because, hey, that
one time they found that pieceof pizza.
(06:09):
So we have to be really carefulabout the way that we structure
our homes and manage our homesto set our dogs up for success
so that they're not gettingintermittently reinforced for
unwanted behavior.
All right, you guys remember,start with consistent rewards
while teaching.
Then, once your dog is reliable, we can mix it up, have some
fun.
Intermittent reinforcementkeeps your puppy engaged,
(06:29):
motivated and practicing goodbehaviors for the long haul.
Thanks for joining me today.
If you'd like more step-by-stepguidance on how this works,
check out our online trainingprogram at Baxter and Bella.
Our intermediate trainingcourse talks all about this
concept and how to use liferewards things that naturally
occur in your dog's everydaylife that they like.
(06:50):
For example, if they want to gooutside, opening the door and
letting them out is a reward.
We call it a life reward and weexplain that in our course.
Have a great week and happytraining.
Thanks for tuning in to thepuppy training podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency you can
(07:14):
create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.