Which practice specifically aims to ensure motivation by giving a small taste of reward before requesting the target behavior?

• A. Reinforcement Sampling
• B. Autoshaping
• C. Proofing
• D. Jackpot reward

Answer: (A)

Giving a small taste of reward before requesting the target behavior is all about boosting motivation and engagement. The idea is to prime the dog’s interest and create a positive hook with the upcoming action by delivering a tiny, immediate reinforcement right as the dog is about to perform or just after the cue. This makes the task feel rewarding from the start, helping to overcome hesitation and keep the dog focused, especially when the overall reward isn’t huge or the behavior is challenging. Because the initial reward is small, the dog remains motivated to earn the full, planned reinforcement for completing the behavior, rather than becoming satisfied with a minimal payoff. In practice, you’d present a very brief, easily attainable reward to initiate the behavior sequence, then provide the full reinforcement once the target action is performed. This approach is distinct from autoshaping, which relies on learned Pavlovian cues to elicit responses without a warm-up reward; proofing tests behavior across contexts to ensure reliability, and jackpot rewards involve a large reward after the behavior rather than a preliminary reward.