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Dog Training Workshop, and an element of the Dog Science Network
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Primary Reinforcers, also known as Intrinsic or Innate Reinforcers
Primary reinforcers serve to increase the rate of the target response, just like any other type of reinforcer. However, primary reinforcers are distinct in that they always have something to do with the gratification of some physical need or the satisfaction of some deeply rooted genetic drive.
Any time you increase one of your dog's responses by feeding him or touching him in a way that he finds physically enjoyable to a significant degree, you are using primary reinforcement.
For most dogs, the opportunity to accompany their people (their pack) on a brief trip outdoors can serve as a primary reinforcer, since being with their loved ones in anything vaguely resembling a natural setting seems to be a sort of primal need for most dogs. In fact, I have known sulky dogs who seemed to resent their training until they came to associate their education with journeys out of the yard and into the world beyond, at which point they embraced their conditioning with a remarkable zeal.
Primary reinforcers are far more effective at quickly fostering behavioral change than are social reinforcers.
However, when dispensing food as a reward, it is essential that you use the smallest portions possible, perhaps as little as a single pellet of dog food for each satisfactory response, in order to keep the animal from becoming overweight.
When using food as a reinforcer, it is also essential that you gradually fade-out the food and, slowly, over time, replace that with social reinforcement, because you can't always carry food around with you, and your dog will eventually need to get used to the idea that he is going to have to respond properly to your commands whether or not there is a handout in it for him.