Have you noticed that your dog always comes running when you open the crinkly bag of dog treats or when the dog food rattles in the bottom of its bowl? Food is a big motivator for most dogs -- after all, it meant survival to your dog's distant ancestors. You can use this motivation in your dog's training, and by doing so, your dog will be an eager participant.
For many years, training with treats had not always been considered acceptable to most dog trainers or dog owners. The most common complaint was, I want my dog to work for me, not for food! However, in the 70s and 80s, a few dog trainers, including myself, began experimenting with treats in training. We found that when treats were used in the training process, not only did the dogs pay more attention, but they seemed to learn faster, with a higher rate of retention. As a very real and positive side effect, fewer corrections were needed during the training.
Today, training with treats is an accepted and widely used method of dog training. The exact techniques vary, with each trainer developing his or her own method. In general, though, most use treats as both a lure (to help the dog perform on command) and as a positive reinforcement (to reward the dog for performing on command).
The Training Process
Teaching your dog is not a difficult project, although at times it may seem to be nearly impossible.
Author: By Liz Palika
Copyright 2009 BowTie Inc.
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