Why use food when training?

People who resist using food in dog training are almost exclusively all into the category of unsuccessful dog trainers.

Photo by Theresa Leib

I like to set my dogs up for success and myself as well. Training without treats is like driving without power steering. Or worse trying to drive without gas. You and I would
not work as well without the prospect of a paycheck or some sort of reward so why should we expect our dogs to do more. A comment I hear A LOT is that people 'don't want their dogs to do things for food', they want them to do it because they were asked to do it. Well of course that is the ultimate goal but if you want your dog to be attentive in learning, why not use the best learning tools available. The food can always be faded in the training process, it is mainly used as a tool to help the dog to understand what is expected of him and to occasionally reinforce compliance but if you try to train your dog without any treats you will only be a mediocre trainer at best and most likely not even that. Either you will give up or your dog will. Also, you give pets and cuddles all the time so it's not really interesting enough when you are trying to teach something new. Don't be a Grinch! Bah, humbug!

Treats are also are variable in type. When I'm training a simple behavior in my living room with no distractions I simply use kibble for my dogs because it works for us. If I am training a complex behavior with no distractions I still might not use a high value treat because I don't want it to be a distraction from complicated thinking. If I am working outside though, with distractions or the possibility of distractions I will use hot dogs, roasted chicken or steak leftovers cut in pea sized pieces. I never go for large treats or treats that will take any amount of time to consume. That would distract from the learning process. Always use small pieces. It's not about filling them it's about the taste and keeping them coming back for more.

One other thing that occasionally comes up on this subject is that certain dogs don't have a lot of food drive. Several things to consider here are 1) Is my dog hungry or did I feed him too soon before the training session 2) Am I really, really making sure my dog is not overfed 3) Am I using the right type of treats for my dog. I'm asked questions like, "Why is my dog excited at the beginning of the lesson and then looses interest toward the end of the lesson." Ask yourself; Are my treats too big? (remember go for a taste and smell, not for fill) Am I training too long? Short sessions are much more effective than long sessions. Five minute sessions are most effective. Even 2-3 minute sessions several times a day. It doesn't take long. Sometimes the dog can fill up and loose interest in a long session. If we don't keep it interesting then it can be like a lecture that will put our dogs to sleep.

So choose your treats for your dog's interest and size. Try to stay away from cheap box store treats. They are not healthy and they usually don't work well enough for outside work and are not always necessary for indoor work where there are no distractions. There are a few that you can buy at pet stores and online that are very good but cooking your own will be as effective and a LOT cheaper.  Cut your treat into small pieces like the size of a pea and be generous!! I repeat, BE GENEROUS!! Small pieces yes but give one treat after the other to keep his attention on you. Give a JACKPOT when they finally get what you are working on. Don't be stingy! Your dog knows when you are being generous! Hope this helps you to reach your dog training goals.

Real trainers use real food!!
Happy training!


Power Paws Dog Rehabilitation and Training Contact us at:powerpaws@live.com or 321-302-4142