Using treats for dog training

I’m not a big fan of using treats for dog training. Treats encourage begging and obsessive behavior, and treats make some dogs too excited.

I’m all for positive reinforcement and use a lot of treats when teaching a new concept, but other than that I expect my dog to listen regardless of whether I have a treat or not.

It annoys me when some dogs will not obey a command unless they think they will get a food reward. This is the owner’s fault, of course.

Like most dogs, my mutt Ace also responds better if he thinks he might get a treat. The trick is to make him think there’s always a chance he’ll get a treat. Good thing Ace is not good at math and won’t understand he’s getting a treat about five percent of the time!

Ace responds better to my commands when I set aside time to do actual training sessions compared to randomly telling him to do things throughout the day. This could be because during these “training sessions” I am more likely to use treats.

For example, when Ace and I are at obedience class and practicing recalls, he comes running enthusiastically every time I call him.  It’s not because I’m a better trainer than the other dog owners. It’s because I have a food hound.

Another reason my dog is more focused and obedient during training sessions is because when we train, he knows I mean business. Plus, Ace loves to work and he loves having my full attention. Whether or not we use treats, training is fun! And that’s how it should be.

If dog trainers (and by that I mean dog owners) can agree on one thing, it’s that treats should be used at least from time to time as positive reinforcement.

My belief is that once a dog understands a command, treats should be given randomly but rarely – maybe twice per training session.

For young dogs, dogs that are still learning or dogs with short attention spans, treats should be given more often.

Be careful though, because it is possible to unintentionally teach a dog not to pay attention unless there is food. Dogs understand patterns and repetitions, so if you repeat something often enough, the dog will think this is what he’s supposed to do.

For example, if you pull out a treat every time your dog barks, looks away or starts to go after another dog, he might think you are rewarding him for the behavior. To prevent this, keep treats on hand and reward your dog randomly when he is paying attention without being asked.

Positive reinforcement dog training

Since Ace responds so well when we are in “working mode,” one of my goals is to get him to respond just as well when I randomly tell him to do something throughout the day. That means I’m going to have to use more treats – randomly of course. 🙂

I will reward Ace when he’s doing something I like – maybe for coming when called, heeling perfectly, lying down calmly, making eye contact, etc.

The second part of my goal is to reward with food only when my dog is calm. It’s so easy for dog owners to do the opposite. As humans, we think it’s cute when our dogs are begging, jumping up and down or climbing into our laps.

We also have a tendency to release our dogs, get them excited and then give them a treat. It’s better to give the dog a treat while he’s still lying down and calm. Then release him.

My mutt will always be one of those dogs that easily slips into an obsessive state of mind when it comes to food or retrieving. That is the main reason I want to work on rewarding him only when he’s relaxed.

Relaxed does not simply mean lying down.

A relaxed dog is not stiff, leaning forward, tense, staring or panting. A relaxed dog is not ready to break from stay in a split second.

If I am holding a tennis ball, Ace will be so excited and obsessed that although for the most part he responds to my commands, he will do so while remaining stiff, constantly smacking his lips and trembling. This is not normal and should not be rewarded!

If you look at the photo of Ace above, he is actually relaxed there. He is making eye contact, but not staring obsessively. His ears are back, and his body is back and relaxed, not leaning forward. Good boy!

Using toys as a reward during dog training

Another way to reward my dog is with a tennis ball – the ultimate reward in Ace’s small mind.

Something I’d like to do more with him is to practice random obedience while a ball is in sight. That way, when he is calm, I can use the ball as a reward. I don’t even have to throw the ball. Every tenth command or so can be, “Get the ball.”

For Ace, hearing that phrase is a much better reward than pieces of jerky. Go figure.

The phrase “Get the ball” is followed by “drop” and then “leave it” as we walk a few feet away to continue working on other commands and ignoring the ball.

If your dog is obsessive over food the way Ace is with a tennis ball, you could try practicing some commands while there is food on the ground so your dog has to ignore the food. Just use a leash for extra control as needed.

I have to be careful when using food or toy rewards with my dog because they can easily get him too excited. The training session itself should be a reward. The food and toys are just little extras for especially good behavior.

For training, I like to use soft jerky treats that can be torn into really small pieces. For other snacks or rewards, I give my dog homemade, natural dog treats because they are healthy.

Do you use a lot of treats when training your dog? What tips do you have for rewarding calm behavior?