Dog Training Treats

So many times, clients bring their dogs into the training center and their bait bag is filled with dry kibble or biscuits. Their dogs are overwhelmed with others dogs, sights, smells, sounds and ignore their owners as everything else is more exciting. Learn how to train a dog by choosing treats your dog loves!

Treats are your dog’s currency. Be generous, pay well and often.

Think about it: If I were paying you for a job well done, would you work harder for $100 or $1 bill? Now translate to food: If I paid you with donuts or broccoli, which would you choose? Personally, I would work for donuts and a $100 bill. I think you see my point now. 🙂

Now, I’m not saying you must have treats in your pocket for your dog to sit. We use treats and rewards in the learning phase, and then wean him after the dog understands the cue. By “weaning,” I’m not saying remove treats entirely. I’m saying reward behaviors intermediately (like a slot machine). We, as humans, have an obsession with weaning our dogs off treats too fast. Not sure why we do it. When you are thinking of not rewarding a dog for a great job, think of a stingy boss from your past – yuck!

RELATED: Healthy Dog Treats

Try these dog training tips when selecting fantastic treats for your pooch. He will thank you with his full attention and polite behavior.

1. Treats must have a strong aroma. The stinkier, the better, as your dog has a fabulous nose. Meat-based treats, especially fish, smell luscious!
2. Tiny like the size of a pea. Look for treats that break up easily and don’t crumble. Keeping the treat size tiny keeps your dog hungry, calories down and treat cost low. We ask pet parents to bring 100 tiny treats to each class. 🙂
3. Easy to chew. Soft treats are easy for your dog to chew and swallow quickly. With hard treats, you are waiting for your dog to crunch, crunch and crunch some more before moving forward.

Some dogs love catching their favorite ball or a game of tug as a reward, but 9 times out of 10, most dogs respond to scrumptious treats in high distraction places (i.e. dog training classes). Praise is awesome too. However, this is the icing on the cake with treats. Again, think of working on a project with a friend: praise is nice for a while. Currency is better because you need to pay your bills and eat. 🙂

How to Tell if Your Dog Loves His Treats

1. As you cut treats or open the bag, your dog is glued to your side sniffing.
2. You have his full and undivided attention during class.
3. Immediate and improved success when teaching behaviors.

What’s in my bait bag? Mozzarella cheese sticks, hot dogs, cooked chicken breast, blue cheese (yes, they love it!), cubed round steak and any fish-based treats.

What treats does your dog love? Please comment below and tell us what is in your bait bag!

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