I used to have dogs. To make them obey better, I would reward them with a kibble of dog food after they performed a command. Having learned this rule, they were more eager to listen the next time, executed commands faster, and were ready for anything.
The further along, the less they thought. Reflexes were being formed, all according to Pavlov. I didn’t need them to think, just to obey. And for them, the most important thing was to get the food, because that is the recognition in their system of “values”. If they received food, it meant they were appreciated. Even if there were no real merits. If there is food, everything is okay.
In the photo are Marley and I. The North Sea in Zandvoort, Netherlands, 2012.
I haven’t had dogs for many years now. That Marley is no more, that “me” is no more. But the same North Sea is still there. And the well-studied laws of zoopsychology.