A foundational concept to teaching your dog is rewarding good behavior. When we reward behavior, we receive more of said behavior. But how do we reward certain behaviors effectively? Many owners fall away from consistency because the expectation for having a good dog is having several formal training sessions a day using treats and marker words. This isn't the only formula for having a good dog.
A reward is anything your dog finds valuable. This can be playing fetch, playing tug, affection, couch time, treats, meals, toys, outings, hikes, swimming, etc. Some dogs don't care about toys but are motivated by food. Some dogs don't care about food but are motivated by affection. What is an owner to do when their dog sticks his nose up to food during training or food sends their dog into a frenzy and all focus is lost?
Contrary to popular belief, your dog does not need to be rewarded for what should be the standard! Reward your dog with your lifestyle of freedom. What does a lifestyle of accountability and freedom look like? Let's say you went to your local feed store with your dog. During your outing, you asked your dog to do commands like sit, down and heel while also making sure you have their focus by correcting any fixation. Once you are home, you reward your dog with free time and toys. Instead of feeding your dog for every good moment, reward your dog with your lifestyle.
One of the most common issues owners present is the issue of their dog not performing basic commands because they didn't have any treats. Certain behaviors that are necessary to be a canine citizen need to be the standard of good behavior. The idea that your dog won't 'work for free' is unrealistic and creates dependency on treats. Your dog works for you because they life a free, trustworthy lifestyle that is fulfilling and rewarding all on its own.
Am I against using treats for training? Not at all! We use food reward often for shaping and creating new patterns of behavior. But once a dog understands the expectation, we phase out the food reward and start holding a dog accountable for doing what we ask. The reward comes with a lifestyle of freedom after training.
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