Which fundamental skill involves obtaining a rewardable response through prompting, luring, or shaping?

• A. Timing – reward in timely fashion
• B. Give feedback, not commands
• C. Obtain rewardable response (prompting, luring, shaping)
• D. Recognize rewardable response

Answer: (C)

Getting a rewardable response through prompting, luring, or shaping is about the method you use to elicit the dog’s behavior and set up reinforcement. Prompting provides a cue or hint that nudges the dog toward the target action; as learning progresses, you gradually fade the prompt so the behavior grows more independent. Luring uses a lure, like a treat or toy, to guide the dog into the correct position or movement, with the focus on the reward, and you remove the lure once the behavior is learned. Shaping builds the final behavior by reinforcing small, successive steps toward the desired end result, rewarding closer and closer approximations each time.

The common thread is that you must obtain a behavior that earns a reward, creating a reliable link between the cue and the action. This is the foundation for learning because reinforcement strengthens the connection between what you want and what the dog does. While timing the reward, giving helpful feedback, or recognizing a rewardable response are important in training, they support the process rather than define the core method of eliciting the behavior through prompting, luring, or shaping.