Behavior & Training

The Premack Principle for Dogs: How to Train Using Natural

Das Premack-Prinzip (auch: Großmutter-Regel, Grandma's Law) ist ein verhaltenspsychologisches Prinzip des Psychologen David Premack aus dem Jahr 1959: Ein Verhalten mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit (das der Hund besonders gerne tut) kann als Verstärker für ein Verhalten mit niedrigerer Wahrscheinlichkeit eingesetzt werden.

The Premack Principle for Dogs: How to Train Using Natural

What is the Premack principle in dogs?

The Premack Principle (also known as Grandma's Law) is a behavioral psychology principle developed by psychologist David Premack in 1959: A behavior that occurs with high probability (one that the dog particularly enjoys doing) can be used as a reinforcer for a behavior that occurs with lower probability.

Simply put: “Sit first, then you can sniff.” The dog’s favorite activities—running, sniffing, playing with other dogs—become the reinforcers, not just the treat. Anyone who understands the Premack principle taps into the most powerful reinforcers a dog knows: its own motivation.

Background + Scientific Context

Premack (1959, *Psychological Review*) formulated the basic principle based on experiments with rats: Rats that preferred running to drinking could have their drinking reinforced by running—and vice versa. The principle is universally applicable to learning organisms. The key insight: reinforcers are not absolute, but relational—what acts as a reinforcer depends on the animal’s current motivational state.

Burch and Bailey (1999, *How Dogs Learn*) apply the Premack principle to practical dog training: Many trainers use food as the sole reinforcer—yet for many dogs, sniffing, running, or playing is far more motivating than treats, especially in exciting environments. A command-based behavior (sit, down, recall) followed by a high-value environmental reinforcer (off-leash time, a sniffing break, or a toy toss) produces more robust training results than food reinforcement alone.

Overall (2013, *Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine*) emphasizes the clinical relevance: The Premack principle solves the problem of food reinforcer devaluation in highly arousing situations. When a dog on a Leash sees another dog and ignores the treat, the other dog is the strongest reinforcer—Premack uses exactly that: first perform the recall, then allow controlled contact as a reward. This is counterintuitive for many owners, but highly effective.

Vitomalia-Position

The Premack Principle changes the way owners think about rewards: It’s not “What do I have in my pocket?” but “What does my dog want most right now?” The strongest reinforcer at any given moment is the best reward—and that’s often not a treat, but the environment itself.

When does the Premack principle come into play?

  • Recall from distractions: Dog returns → Off-leash time as a reward
  • Walking on a leash: walking calmly → sniffing time as a reward
  • Interaction Management: Sit/Stay During Dog Encounters → Controlled Contact as a Reward
  • Impulse control in general: Waiting at the door → Going outside as a reward
  • Feed additives fail: Identifying and using environmental additives

Practical application

Premack schedule:

Low-probability behavior High-Probability Behavior (Amplifier)
Recall while playing are allowed to continue playing
A moment to sit down before heading out Go outside and explore
Dealing with a dog in a public space Interaction with other dogs
Walking calmly on a Leash Time to sniff around an interesting spot

Introduce Premack gradually during training: 1. Identifying the dog’s high-value reinforcers: What does he want most? 2. Ensuring the amplifier is controllable: The amplifier must be controllable by the user 3. Build up the behavior using a classical reinforcer (food) until it is consistent 4. Next: Gradually install environmental enhancers 5. Timing: The Premack reinforcer must follow immediately after the target behavior

Sources of error: - Giving the Premack reinforcer too early (the dog hasn't yet demonstrated what was required) - Not really able to control high-probability behavior - Situational blindness: Failing to recognize in practice that food is not currently a reinforcer

Common Mistakes & Myths

  • “I don’t have any treats with me—Premack doesn’t work.” Premack actually works without treats. The environment itself serves as the reinforcer. Not having treats on hand can be the first step toward better training if the owner learns to use environmental reinforcers.
  • “That’s bribery.” Bribery would be showing the dog the treat to coax him into cooperating. Premack is reinforcement: behavior first, then reward. The difference is crucial for training ethics and long-term success.
  • “My dog ignores me even though I’m using Premack.” Premack fails when the target behavior hasn’t been sufficiently established yet, or when the owner can’t truly control the reinforcer. This isn’t a failure of the principle, but a training problem.

Current State of Research (2026)

The Premack principle is a classic concept in learning psychology and is considered well-established. Recent research on the motivational hierarchy of dogs shows that social interaction and exploratory behavior are more motivating for many dogs than food—which makes Premack-based training protocols equally interesting for owners and professionals. Individual differences in dog motivation—which behaviors are most likely for which dogs—are the subject of behavioral analysis research.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Premack principle, explained simply?

First, the less desirable behavior; then, as a reward, what the dog wants most: “Come back to me, and then you can keep playing.” The activity the dog enjoys most becomes the reinforcer for the behavior that is less appealing.

How do I use the Premack principle when calling my dog back?

Call the dog back when he’s about to approach something interesting—and when he comes back, let him interact with it (in a controlled way) or continue on as a reward. That way, coming back doesn’t mean the fun is over, but rather becomes the key to more fun.

Does the Premack principle work for every dog?

Yes—the principle is universal. But it requires an understanding of the dog’s individual hierarchy of motivations. For a food-motivated dog, food may still be the strongest reinforcer; for a play-motivated dog, having a toy thrown is more important. The Premack principle doesn’t require a specific reward—it requires the right one.

Related terms

Sources & Further Reading

  1. Premack, D. (1959). Toward empirical behavior laws: I. Positive reinforcement. Psychological Review, 66(4), 219–233. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0042281

  2. Burch, M. R., & Bailey, J. S. (1999). How Dogs Learn. Howell Book House. ISBN 9780876054871.

  3. Overall, K. L. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats. Elsevier. ISBN 9780323008303.

Wissenschaftliche Einordnung

Premack (1959, Psychological Review) formulated the basic principle using rat experiments: Rats that preferred running to drinking could be reinforced to drink by running—and vice versa. The principle is universally applicable to learning organisms. The crucial insight: Reinforcers are not absolute but relational—what acts as a reinforcer depends on the animal's current motivational state.

Burch and Bailey (1999, How Dogs Learn) apply the Premack Principle to practical dog training: Many trainers use food as the sole reinforcer—yet for many dogs, sniffing, running, or playing is motivationally much stronger than treats, especially in exciting environments. A readily performed behavior (sit, down, recall) followed by a highly valent environmental reinforcer (off-leash time, sniff break, toy toss) produces more robust training results than food reinforcement alone.

Overall (2013, Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine) emphasizes the clinical relevance: The Premack Principle solves the problem of food reinforcer devaluation in highly arousing situations. If a dog on a leash sees another dog and ignores the treat, the other dog is the strongest reinforcer—Premack uses exactly this: first perform a recall, then allow controlled contact as a reward. This is counterintuitive for many owners but highly effective.