One amazing reward can set behavior in motion

The power of one extremely valuable, desired reward can have a profound impact on behavior. This is often called “jackpotting,” and can lead to a behavior change in an individual that lasts for varying amounts of time. When we are working with dogs and children, jackpots can be an easy way to strengthen behaviors in both our dogs and our kids. Allow me to share two cases of jackpots in action.

Case #1-Bailey, a 7 year old lab, was one of the most well mannered dogs I knew. His house manners were impeccable. He was calm in the house, never jumped up on anyone or anything, he never counter-surfed, and he could be left alone for hours and never get into the garbage or the disturb anything in the kitchen. Until one day Bailey’s humans made an amazing apple pie. Said apple pie was left in the middle of the kitchen island to cool while Bailey’s humans ran some errands. Upon their return, they were shocked to find that the pie was gone! The pie plate had not moved, but not a crumb remained. Did someone break into the house and eat the pie? It couldn’t have been…Bailey??

Bailey’s impeccable history of good manners had everyone in doubt. Until later that day, other things began disappearing, objects were mysteriously knocked over on the kitchen counters, and the next day the garbage was strewn all over the kitchen. Surveillance was initiated with the help of cell phone cameras. Bailey had become an obsessive counter-surfer and kitchen marauder and the video confirmed that he seemed to be searching for something.  That something was the pie. That apple pie conditioned him in one fell swoop and he continued to search for weeks for that next pie.  Eventually, with many months of consistent management and supervision, Bailey stopped searching.

Case #2-A few months ago, I was walking my dog Royal around our neighborhood. We ran across a “left-behind” dog poop in the middle of the sidewalk. My past attitude/habit was to carry extra bags and pick up left-behinds if they happened to be near where my dog relieved himself. I did this often, but not each and every time.

This particular occasion I was especially annoyed the left-behind was smack-dab in the middle of the sidewalk.  So, i picked it up to carry it back to the receptacle near my building. I didn’t walk 10 steps and low and behold there was a crisp, new $20 bill on the sidewalk. My first thought was to find the person that dropped it. I looked around, there was no one in sight. My second thought, even though I knew it was impossible, this was the universe had rewarded my good behavior.

Imagine how powerful this experience would be if believed my good deed had been rewarded? What do you think I envisioned the next time I saw a left-behind? Yep, a $20 bill. I couldn’t help it! Days, weeks, and months later, I continue to consistently pick up left-behinds, knowing the impossibility that I will ever be “rewarded” again. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

This experience gave me an understanding of what that apple pie jackpot meant to Bailey and why it was so difficult for him to go back to his house manners. This is also why gambling is such an additive behavior. Using jackpots with your dog and with your human family members can be an easy way to further encourage and proof desired behaviors.

So what could be a jackpot? Simply, it’s something wonderful and powerful that happens as a direct result of a behavior. Jackpots are few and far between, which is part of their power and the power of the jackpot depends on the receiver. For your dog, it could be a high value food reward, such as 10 small pieces of cut up roast chicken, or a high value object, game or activity for showing good manners or making a good decision (such as coming when called around distractions.) For your child, it could be a Friday night pizza night or getting to make a special choice on games/activities for being gentle and kind to your dog or other family members.

If you don’t use the power of jackpots they might happen anyway (see Case #1 above,) but in ways that might hinder future behavior. One of my training mentors often said, “If you don’t reward behavior, the environment will.”