Today I want to talk about no-reward makers (aka NRMs).
In some circles, mentioning NRMs can elicit boos and hisses.
This is because a NRM is technically a positive punisher. That is, it is
actively applied in order to reduce the likelihood of a behaviour happening
again. Many people are leery of punishment in dog training, and with good
reason. So the use of NRMs is often discouraged.
But, I kind of like NRMs in certain situations.
A no-reward marker is intended to be a way to communicate to
the dog that the thing they are doing at the moment is not going to earn them a
reward. It's sort of the opposite of a clicker. Using NRMs comes naturally to
people -- most of us say no, nope, or try again if our dogs make a mistake
during a training session. It is a way to offer a bit more information to a dog
if they begin to go down an undesired path during a training session.
In a perfect world, NRMs shouldn't be necessary. A dog
should be set up to offer the desired behaviour during training from the very
beginning through management and a conscientious approach to the session. In a
perfect world, dogs should be crystal clear in what it is you are asking of
them. However, I am not a perfect trainer.
I occasionally rush progression, or stall too long on a
step, or just get lazy and let my criteria slide. My dog might begin to offer
undesired behaviours that run the risk of being reinforced by subsequent steps
within a behaviour chain before I've had a chance to address them. When that
happens, mistakes can become entrenched within a chain and can be difficult to
remove once there. If I remain silent and withhold a click, my dog may grow
frustrated at not being offered a clear picture of what it is I'm looking for.
She might grumble, stress up or grow frenzied in her responses if I remain
silent. If I let her know that she is offering something that I am not looking
for and that will not be rewarded, she can gain some clarity and try something
else.
As the trainer, it's me who shoulders the responsibility for
this lack of clarity. If I found myself having to rely a great deal on NRMs, it
would be in my best interest to step back and assess where I'm going wrong in
my approach. However, as the occasional stopgap measure, I find them useful.
In brief, NRMs:
... Should not intimidate or demotivate a dog. Some dogs
will wilt if they are used. For these dogs, they are the wrong tool for the
job.
... Should not be used to stop unwanted and/or nuisance
behaviours.
... Should be cheerful & motivational or neutral. They
should be free from disapproval.
... Should prompt the dog to stop what it is they are doing
and check in with you.
... Should be used sparingly at best, and avoided if
possible. Relying on them in every training session is unnecessary.
... Should be avoided when you are teaching a new behaviour.
Errorless learning is the better choice. You want your dog to understand what
is right well before you focus on what is wrong.
... Are best suited to polishing behaviour chains wherein a
mistake earlier in the chain runs the risk of being reinforced by subsequent
steps in the chain.
So, that's my spiel on NRMs. What do you think? When do you
use them? Have you changed in your approach to NRMs over time? Have you ever
put much thought into how you use them? Let me know in the comments.
Happy clicking!
