The oldest trick in the book when it comes to dog training is using treats and rewards to encourage the right behaviour and responses. However not all treats were created equal, and each dog will have its own favourites. Try and work out what your dog likes the best, and your training will become much easier.
Rewards don't just have to be food treats though, other types can be very effective. All dogs love human attention, so physical contact and praise can be useful tools when used sparingly. Like anything, if you overdo it the meaning of the rewards will be lost very quickly, but a quick belly rub is a wonderful incentive for a dog (provided it is not too distracting).
Playing games is also a great reward for good behaviour during training as you can use it to reward the dog while also reinforcing training routines and commands. There are lots of different games you can play with a dog including tug of war and hide and seek. Again, find out what your dog enjoys best and use that as an incentive for good behaviour.
Treats and rewards work during training because the dog begins to associate a command or action with something he likes. As the dog begins to know the command well enough, you can start to phase out the treats. Eventually the dog will perform the command without thinking and without the required treat. It is important not to make the rewards too distracting, as otherwise they could detract from the overall training which is not what you want.
| Do you want to train your dog like a professional? To find out about a brilliant dog training ebook and to receive a free report on dog body language, please click here Richard Cross is owner of the Pets Clinic website Pets clinic provides health information and advice about all kinds of pets, with new articles added daily. |
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