Maximize Training Success by Knowing Your Dog’s Preferred Rewards

What Does Your Dog Love Most? Discover Their Top Rewards!

When it comes to training your dog, finding the right rewards can make all the difference. Dogs are like people—they have their own unique tastes, preferences, and motivations. Some dogs go wild for a slice of cheese, while others can’t resist the chance to sniff every blade of grass on their walk.

So how do you figure out what your dog loves most? It’s simple: play a game! Miss B’s Motivation Matchup is a fun way to discover your dog’s favourite rewards—whether it’s food, toys, or activities. Once you know what motivates them, you can make training more fun and effective.

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Why the Right Reward Matters

In training, the reward needs to match the difficulty of the task:

• High-value rewards (like chicken or cheese) are perfect for challenging tasks or distracting environments.
• Medium-value rewards (like training treats or fetch) work well for practice sessions.
• Low-value rewards (like kibble or belly rubs) are great for easy commands your dog already knows.

Finding the right balance keeps your dog motivated without overdoing it.

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How to Play Miss B’s Motivation Matchup!

This game is all about letting your dog choose what they love most!

Step 1: Write Down Your Rewards

List up to 24 rewards your dog might love. These can be treats, toys, affection, or activities—anything you think your dog enjoys.

Examples: Shredded Cheese, Freeze-dried Chicken, Hot Dogs, Apple, Training Treats, RollOver, Salmon, Freeze-dried Beef etc.

Your Reward List:

Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
1.	1.	1.	1.
2.	2.	2.	2.
3.	3.	3.	3.
4.	4.	4.	4.
5.	5.	5.	5.
6.	6.	6.	6.

Step 2: Play the Motivation Matchup Game

Choose a group of 6 rewards to test. Test two rewards at a time. For each round:

• Food or Toys: Hold both options out, let your dog sniff/investigate each of them, then let your dog choose.
• Affection or Activities: Offer one option at a time and observe your dog’s reaction.

Circle the winner of each round:

Round	Matchups
One	1 vs 2	3 vs 6	4 vs 5
Two	3 vs 4	1 vs 6	2 vs 5
Three	4 vs 6	2 vs 3	1 vs 5
Four	1 vs 4	3 vs 5	2 vs 6
Five	5 vs 6	1 vs 3	2 vs 4

 

Tally up the number of wins you circled in the table above for each reward:

Reward	Wins
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Step 3: Rank the Rewards in Order

Rank the rewards in order of most wins to least wins to establish your dogs reward hierarchy.

Reward

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Step 4: Match Rewards to Tasks

Now that you know what your dog loves, use the rewards strategically:

• High-value rewards: Save these for teaching new behaviours or working through difficult situations..
• Medium-value rewards: Use them for reinforcing previously-learned behaviours in calm settings.
• Low-value rewards: Perfect for easy/basic commands like “sit” or “down” when your dog already knows them well.

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Download the Free Worksheet

Want to keep track of your dog’s preferences? I’ve created a handy worksheet to guide you through Miss B’s Motivation Matchup! Download it below and highlight your dog’s favourite treats, toys, and activities!

Click Here to Download the Worksheet

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Make Training Fun for Both of You!

Training your dog doesn’t have to feel like a chore. By discovering what makes your dog tick, you’ll build a stronger bond and make learning enjoyable for both of you. Give Miss B’s Motivation Matchup a try, and let me know—what’s your dog’s ultimate reward?

Leave a comment below or share your results with me on social media—I’d love to hear from you!

Happy training,
Miss B 🐾