Benefits of Using Treats During Training

 Many people do not realize the importance of using treats during dog training.  You should know that positive reinforcement always makes a difference!  Dogs are particularly responsive to positive reinforcement methods as they enjoy praise or treats.  They have a natural desire to please members of their pack! This article will go into more detail about the best practices for positive reinforcement and the use of simple commands.

The best thing about positive reinforcement is that it helps encourage good behavior and teaches your dog commands more effectively.  An example of this is giving your dog a treat for chewing on a toy instead of a shoe or giving praise when they “sit”.  Do not reward your dog for bad behavior (avoid letting them outside if they start barking).  When your dog associates a rewarding action with bad behavior, they feel encouraged to persist in the bad behavior.  This is a recipe for disaster!

The use of simple commands is beneficial as well.  Speaking to your dog in sentences they can’t understand will have no effect.  Keep commands confined to simple words like “sit”, “stay”, or “come”.  We recommend that you offer the reward within seconds of the good behavior, so the dog makes the connection.  You can use a clicker to maximize the impact of the reward because he or she will associate the clicker sound with the reward.

Using rewards for your dog’s good behavior will help ensure that they understand what they are supposed to do when given a command.  Taking the time to use positive reinforcement will mean a happier, better-behaved dog.