Appropriate use of treats in training
Here are some questions and answers regarding the use of treats in dog training.Why should I use food when training my dog? Should he obey just because I tell him to do something?
Dogs are sentient and thinking creatures. Like humans, they will happily do things that are fun and have some reward, and conversely avoid things that do not bring them joy. Of course, you can always get what you want from the dog, but this will have a negative effect on the relationship between you and the dog. But remember that if you create a game of do what I want and get what you want, both sides will be satisfied and benefit.
Why does my dog only listen when I have a bite in my hand?
If you always start a lesson by showing that you have something tasty in your hand, the dog will always look forward to the sight and smell. Pristake the following steps to help you avoid this problem:
Use hand gestures
Mark the desired behaviour with a clicker or the words good dog, etc.
Only then give the dog a treat. The dog needs to understand that even if he does not see or smell the treat, if he performs the desired action, he will definitely get it.
I would like to avoid having to reward my dog with treats all the time, how can I achieve this?
If you teach your dog the sit command and repeat it every day, automatically the dog gets used to it and then does the action without thinking. After a while, do not reward the dog every time. Instead of a treat, emotionally say good dog. You can also give the command sit before taking the dog for a walk. If the dog has done what you want before going out the door, reward him with a walk in the fresh air. The reward can also be a game with the dog’s favourite toy or similar.
If I train my dog for a long time, every day, won’t he get sick of the treats?
The amount of food that the amount you feed your dog during training should be deducted from the dog’s feeding. Also try to use as small pieces of the treat as possible.
If my dog doesn’t work for his food, how will I learn anything at Positive training School?
In Positive training School, food is not the basis of training. The reward is what the dog likes best, perhaps a ball, a pillow or something else that makes your pet go crazy. But food is one of the easiest ways to encourage a dog, as there are no dogs that don’t like food.
When should I stop using food in training?
If the dog follows the command you ask for, anywhere, anytime, then you no longer need to use food to train that command.
My dog does the commands at home just fine, but when I go out in the yard things change, why does that happen?
The home environment is one of the easiest training environments, as everything is familiar and familiar to the dog. In the yard, the dog can see all kinds of stimuli and strange, new sounds. Don’t be reluctant to train your dog to work in different environments, which can be helped by a variety of untried treats.