Dog training glossary
Satiation
Quick answer
A reward temporarily losing its motivating power because the dog has had too much of it too recently.
Written by the TailorPup team, updated September 2026. See our editorial approach.
What it means
Just like a person loses their appetite for a favorite food after eating a lot of it, a dog that has been given the same reward repeatedly in a short window, especially food, can become less motivated to work for more of it, even if it's normally high-value. Satiation is temporary and reward-specific, switching to a different reward, using smaller portions, or simply pausing the session usually restores motivation.
A real example
A dog that has been happily working for cheese for twenty straight minutes starts responding slower and less enthusiastically, not because it has forgotten the behaviors, but because it has simply had enough cheese for the moment.
Common mistake
Mistaking satiation for the dog "not listening anymore" or regressing, and adding pressure or repeating cues louder, when a short break or a reward swap solves it.
Related terms
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