How to Have a Treat Handy for Your Dog

If you've ever trained dogs before, you know that it's difficult to "bribe" them into doing something for you. Waving around a piece of food and telling the dog a new word doesn't make a lot of sense - after all, those dogs don't speak English! Good trainers know that you want to reinforce a behavior by producing a reward at the end of it. In order to do this, you'll want to be ready to give your dog a treat when it does what you want it to do. Here are some ways you can do that without always having bacon in your pocket.

Remember that treats are just one type of reward. If your dog does something you like, you can reward it with a piece of bacon or sausage, but you can also reward it by giving it affection and petting it. Acceptance is a powerful reward too, and when you give your dog acceptance for a job well done, it starts to get the hint that you expect it to behave in a certain way. This means you will have to withhold affection when your dog is misbehaving, which is hard for some people to do, but ultimately it will lead to healthier behavior from your dog.

Keep a bag of treats near a place where your dog would perform the desired action. If you want to get your dog to sleep in its bed calmly every night, keep a bag of treats nearby - but out of the dog's reach and sight. Then, once the dog has produced the behavior you want, simply get out a treat. It's important that you reward a dog right after it completes the behavior you want, so that it makes an association between the treats and the behaviors it takes to earn them.

Remember that you're constantly reinforcing certain behaviors. Even if you don't have a treat handy at all times, you are constantly reinforcing certain behaviors all the time. For example, if all it takes from your dog is a bit of begging before you go and get it a treat, it won't feel so excited about coming to you every time you call. If, however, the dog has to earn your affection by saddling up to you or coming when you call, it will realize that it has to behave more like a dog around you and less like a person. Set standards for your dog's behavior, and ask yourself which behaviors you're responding to, and why.

Photo Credits: quinn.anya

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Dog Training, Tips for Dog Owners

Posted by Dog Training Pet on April 9, 2011 in Dog Training, Tips for Dog Owners. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.