How to Properly Use Treats for Enrichment in Dog Training

Wondering how to use dog treats for training in an effective and suitable manner? You’ve come to the right place.

Using dog treats for training purposes is nothing new. It is a tactic that has been utilized by pet owners and professional trainers alike for generations. However, many see very limited results as a result of inefficient tactics. Here’s how to properly use them for enrichment in dog training. 

Why do dog treats for training work?

When teaching dogs new tricks or behaviors, you need to reinforce positive actions. Dog treats for training are the most effective solution by far. The simple concept is as follow;

• The owner (or trainer) gives a command,
• A dog responds with a certain action,
• The dog receives a treat as a reward,
• They learn to associate the behavior with positive outcomes.

Dog treats can be used when teaching your pup to lay down, shake hands, urinate outside, or follow a host of other commands. The treat itself provides a clear indication that they have done a good thing. When coupled with the fact it brings pets closer to their humans, a powerful impact is made.

Selecting the right dog treats for training

Before thinking too much about the routine you’ll use, it’s imperative that the right dog treats are selected. The treats need to be delicious enough for your dog to see them as a reward that reinforces good behavior while also nutritious enough to avoid spoiling their diet. After all, they could be earning a lot of treats when teaching a new behavior.

Ultimately, your dog’s favorite tastes will play a huge role. Even so, it’s vital that you opt for high-quality ingredients. Golden Delights Banana and Pumpkin Baked Dog Treats are a particularly popular choice, not least because they include a clear instruction of how many can be given to your dog daily. 

Given that your dog may earn several rewards throughout a day or training lesson, high-quality treats should be supported by smaller treats to be used for smaller successes.

How to use dog treats for training

After selecting the right treats for dog training, owners must also look to use them correctly. Firstly, it’s imperative that you introduce them from day one of training. Otherwise, it will become far harder for your pup to associate the selected behavior with getting this specific treat.

Assuming you have selected the right dog treats for training and plan to use them for an appropriate training task, the successor your strategy will come down to two words. Timing and consistency.

Timing is crucial because you need your dog to realize why they are receiving a treat. Dogs are intelligent animals and certainly have the capability to develop learnt behaviors. Nonetheless, you can’t give them a treat two hours after they completed a task and expect them to understand or associate the behavior with the treat.

Therefore, it’s imperative that you give the treat immediately after your pup completes the desired task or behavior. For the best results, you will also want to combine this with a clear gesture to emphasize the triumph. A common choice is to shout “Yes” or “Good boy/girl” in a positive tone. 

Dogs will respond positively to your reaction (and the treat) from the very first time. However, it’s equally crucial for you to focus on consistency.

Consistency can only be achieved over a period of days or weeks. To achieve the desired outcomes, you must;

• Use the same commands and hand gestures, even using the same hand or tone of voice to celebrate the positive action.
• Use the same treat each time the dog completes the desired action. Again, you may want to have different treats assigned to different training behaviors.
• Always give the treat immediately after the treatment and avoid ever giving more treats just because you’re feeling positive.
• Actively practice the training ritual daily while your dog is learning a new trick or behavior. A consistent surrounding can be useful too.
• It can take time for your dog to learn a new behavior. Some breeds are quicker learners than others while personal backgrounds can have an impact too. Show patience with your routine and you should soon see whether it’s making a difference. 

Removing dog treats over time

While dog treats are a great tool for training enrichment, you should not forget that the goal is to reach a stage where your pet completes the behavior on command without requiring a treat. 

However, it’s important to approach this process with care. 

If you suddenly remove dog treats altogether, there is a strong chance that your pup will regress. With this in mind, a smooth transition is highly advised. Once the behavior has been established, you may follow these steps;

• Move away from praising each incident with a treat to every other action.
• Gradually reduce the frequency further still.
• Eventually remove the dog treat altogether from the new behavior.

Even as you remove treats from the equation, you should maintain positive reinforcement through words and gestures of encouragement. Teaching their name can help the pup gain even more from those verbal cues. And while you may remove the treats from one behavior, they can still be used when introducing new tasks. Once again, this highlights the need for specific treats depending on the size of the behavior. 

Keep it fun

Training your dog, especially if not relying on a professional trainer, is supposed to be a fun experience. It’s a chance for you to bond and connect with your pup while still teaching a behavior that will help both them and you.

The use of dog treats to enrich training will help keep it fun. Additional steps like following training sessions with a walk or other fun activity takes the positivity to another level. When dog training is engaging and fun, the likelihood of gaining the desired outcomes will improve too. 

For the sake of the pup as well as your sanity, use dog treats to your advantage. You will not regret it.