S.M.A.R.T. X50
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A light blue infographic with title “S.M.A.R.T. X50” at the top of the page. Beneath the title is a white bubble of text (see full infographic text below). Three large, colorful bubbles contain headings. Beside each bubble is a larger block of text explaining the heading. The bubble and text alternate left and right as you go down the page. The first bubble is in the top left of the page is yellow, reads “PREP TREATS” and has a graphic of two treat jars. Next bubble is orange, reads “WATCH CLOSELY” and has a graphic of someone looking through binoculars. The bottom bubble is teal, reads “MARK AND REINFORCE” and shows the silhouette of a dog laying down. The dog is centered inside a red camera frame.
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S.M.A.R.T X50
“See, Mark, And Reward Training” is a simple and impressive way to change behavior. “x50” suggests you find 50 opportunities a day to reinforce choices your pet is already making.PREP TREATS
Prepare 50 small treats in a container & place it somewhere easily accessible that’s out of your dog’s reach. Recycled jars work well. Oxo pop containers make a click sound when you open them!If 50 feels unreachable, start with SMART ‘x10’. Set a goal that you can meet! Even if you don’t count your treats, you can still use SMART to your advantage with strategically placed treat jars.
WATCH CAREFULLY
Actively observe your pet. Look for desirable behaviors they’re already doing unasked for. Laying on their bed, quietly watching out the window, approaching someone with all feet on the floor, staying still when something is dropped, etc. are all great choices! SMART helps you focus on cultivating behaviors you DO like.MARK AND REINFORCE
When you catch your pet making choices you appreciate, mark that moment with a verbal marker like “yes!” or a click. Then go grab a treat from your jar to feed your pet. This technique of teaching is called “capturing.” What gets reinforced gets repeated, so this is an excellent way to promote behavior you like!LILY WARE
SPOT ON DOG TRAINING LLC
