Glossary
What is the Premack principle in dog training?
Food is not the only paycheque a dog cares about. Sniffing, greeting, chasing a ball and getting out the door all matter to a dog, often more than a biscuit. The Premack principle is the tidy name for turning those everyday wants into rewards. Here is the definition, one walk-based example, and how it fits the way we train.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
The term itself
Grandma's rule, applied to a dog.
Put simply, access to a high-probability behaviour reinforces a low-probability one, as long as it comes after. Parents know it as grandma's rule: vegetables first, then dessert. For a dog, the high-probability list is easy to write. Sniffing, greeting another dog, chasing, getting out of the car, getting to the food bowl. The low-probability list is whatever you are asking for at that moment, such as walking at your side or holding a down.
Picture a dog who wants to sniff every fence post on the block. Ask for ten steps of heel past the first post. When the dog gives them, mark it, say a release word that means go sniff, and let the dog have that post. Then ask for heel again. The sniff is no longer something the dog steals by pulling. It becomes the pay for walking nicely, and the walk becomes a deal both ends can keep.
- Likely behaviour rewards less likely
- Order matters: ask, then access
- Release word opens the reward
- Sniffing, greeting and chasing all count
In our method
How it fits our markers-first approach, and common misfires.
We teach with markers and rewards first, and life rewards are some of the most useful ones we have, because they are always around. A released stay, the back door opening, the sniff at the end of a heel: each can be marked and paid without reaching for a pocket. It also helps with real-world proofing, where a dog may ignore food but still cares about the thing it is staring at. Used well, the distraction becomes the reward instead of the competition.
The classic misfire is getting the order backwards: letting the dog sniff, then asking for heel, which pays the pulling rather than the walking. Another is offering a reward the dog does not actually want at that moment. A third is using greetings as the prize for a dog who is worried about people or dogs. Access to a trigger is not a reward for a fearful or reactive dog, and that situation calls for a professional assessment.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
What is an example of the Premack principle with dogs?
Asking for a sit at the open back door, then releasing the dog into the yard, is a simple one. Getting outside is the reward, and the sit is what earns it.
Is the Premack principle positive reinforcement?
Yes, it is a form of positive reinforcement, because the dog gains access to something it wants after the behaviour. The reward just happens to be an activity rather than a treat.
Can I use sniffing as a reward on walks?
Yes, and many dogs value it highly. Use a clear release word so the dog knows when sniffing is allowed, and bring heel back as the default once the sniff is done.
Does the Premack principle replace treats?
Not entirely. Food is still handy for teaching a new skill quickly, while life rewards shine once the skill exists and needs to hold up in the real world.
Keep reading
Turn the walk into pay.
Book a consultation and we will help you spot the rewards your dog already chases, and put them to work.
From real owners
Rated 5.0 on Google.
Real Northline dogs