Competing reinforcer

How it works

A dog is always choosing between options, and training never happens in an empty room. A squirrel, a smell on a fence post, another dog and a dropped sandwich are all reinforcers that pay off for behavior other than the one being asked for. Whether the dog responds to a cue depends largely on how the handler's reward compares with whatever else is on offer at that moment, which is why a behavior that is reliable indoors can fall apart outside. The practical levers are the value of the handler's reward, the distance from the competing one, and sometimes using the competing reinforcer itself as the reward, such as releasing the dog to sniff after a successful recall.

What it looks like

A dog comes when called every time in the yard. At the park, a dog playing fifty feet away is worth more to them than a piece of kibble, and the recall fails. With higher-value food, more distance from the playing dogs, or a release to go and sniff as the reward, the same recall starts working again.

Commonly confused with

High-value treats

High-value treats describes how much a dog wants the handler's reward. A competing reinforcer is the rival on the other side of the comparison. Whether a treat counts as high value depends on what it is competing with.

Related terms