Which statement correctly describes prompting?

Which statement correctly describes prompting?

• A. Lead the dog into the behavior by tempting with a treat
• B. The dog should respond to cue only after a gesture
• C. No instruction, cues or input is given, except for the clicker
• D. Much like luring, only the animal can't see the treat

Answer: (D)

Prompting is giving the dog a temporary hint or assist to perform a behavior, with the goal of fading that help so the dog responds to the intended cue on its own. It often works like a lure or prompt, but the key is that the prompt is time-limited and not relied on long-term. The statement described as prompting matches this idea: it’s like luring, except the dog can’t see the treat. By using a hidden or unobtrusive prompt, the trainer guides the dog into the action without the dog becoming dependent on a visible reward, and the trainer can fade the prompt as learning progresses. This distinguishes prompting from straightforward luring, where the dog follows a visible treat, and from scenarios where no input is given beyond a clicker or where the dog must wait for a gesture before responding.

Prompting is giving the dog a temporary hint or assist to perform a behavior, with the goal of fading that help so the dog responds to the intended cue on its own. It often works like a lure or prompt, but the key is that the prompt is time-limited and not relied on long-term. The statement described as prompting matches this idea: it’s like luring, except the dog can’t see the treat. By using a hidden or unobtrusive prompt, the trainer guides the dog into the action without the dog becoming dependent on a visible reward, and the trainer can fade the prompt as learning progresses. This distinguishes prompting from straightforward luring, where the dog follows a visible treat, and from scenarios where no input is given beyond a clicker or where the dog must wait for a gesture before responding.