Should I Use Treats to Train My Dog?

Treats have become the norm in dog training.  But many people worry; “Am I bribing my dog?” “Will she ever listen without a treat?”  Dogs Can Do is here for you!  Here are the rules to follow for a well-behaved pup who isn’t just looking for a payday.

  Treats are an excellent training tool and like all tools they must be used properly.  So, how do we properly utilize treats without becoming reliant on them?

  Here’s a simple process to follow: Cue -> Behavior -> “Yes” -> Treat

  I’m going to cue my dog for a specific behavior, let’s say “sit.”  First, I’m going to put a treat between my thumb and forefinger. Then, I’m going to put the treat to my dog’s nose and say “sit” while I move the treat upwards.  My dog will naturally follow the scent with his nose and as his head moves up his body will move back and his butt will hit the floor. Once his butt hits the floor I’m going to say “Yes!” to let him know he’s done what I’ve asked.  After I’ve said “Yes” I will give my dog the treat.

  In this example saying “sit” while my hand moves upwards (my hand signal)  is my CUE.  My dog sitting is the BEHAVIOR.  I say “YES” to let my dog know she’s done what I’ve asked.  Finally, I give her the TREAT.

  This sequence is important because it makes the communication to my dog clear. I ask for a behavior, you perform the behavior, I say “yes,” and you’re rewarded.  This tells my dog how we earn as we learn.  

Additionally, by marking the behavior with “Yes” before I give my treat, my dog will start to recognize this word.  “Yes” means “I’ve done something right and a reward is coming.”  This will come in handy when training your dog.

Initially every time my dog performs a behavior that I’ve asked for (or cued) I will say “Yes” and give a treat each time.  As my dog becomes more proficient, I start to phase out treats.  Let’s say I’m practicing “sit” and I decide I’m going to do 10 repetitions.  I will say “Yes” every time my dog sits.  But, I’m only going to give a treat on the 3rd repetition.  For the first 2 repetitions I can give physical affection after I say “Yes.”  Now, I’m simultaneously phasing out treats while introducing praise as a reward.  My dog will stay in the game because she knows that “Yes” means she’s done it right…it’s just the rules have changed.   As time goes on we can start giving treats at random intervals during training sessions and eventually only for really excellent performances.

  It’s particularly useful that my dog learns the word “Yes.”  Now, I can reward behaviors that I like at random and therefore get more of those behaviors.  If my dog usually barks while I’m preparing her meals I can start to wait for periods of quiet and reward that.  The idea being; I’m making my dog’s dinner… she barks, she barks, she’s quiet…after about 3 seconds of quiet I’ll say “Yes” and give her a piece of kibble.  My dog starts to understand that being quiet gets rewarded and eventually I don’t need the food reward; my dog will understand that it’s expected that she be quiet while waiting for her meal.

  By following the sequence of Cue -> Behavior -> “Yes” -> Treat I avoid bribing my dog and instead introduce a means of communication.  Additionally, I can capitalize on my dog’s understanding of my  “Yes” marker and start to reinforce other behaviors that I like.  Treats are an excellent training tool and I highly recommend using them, just be sure that you’re using the tool properly.

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