Rewards are effective because your dog will begin to associate something that he does with a treat. As he learns that he gets something tasty or fun when he performs a command, he will want to do it again, which helps to make training easy. Training will go even more smoothly if you can time his rewards to the exact moment when he does what you ask of him.
Make sure that you reward your dog with something he likes. If he seems distracted or if he passes up on the reward, he is probably not interested, so move on to another reward. Also, take care when giving out physical contact as a reward. For example, limit it to a quick scratch behind the ears. Anything more will become too distracting.
- When praising your dog, use a happy, upbeat tone of voice.
- You can use a general phrase such as "Good boy" or a phrase specific to a command, such as "Good Sit" when your dog sits on command.
- Praise is often used in combination with other rewards, such as food treats.
- Most dogs also enjoy physical contact as a reward for good work during training. For example, you can quickly scratch behind his ears or on his chest.
- Food treats such as kibble or freeze dried liver are often used as rewards during training because they are easily portable.
- Be creative when choosing food treats for your dog. For example, try hot dog slices, cubes of cheese, pieces of cooked chicken or dry cereal.
Note: Dogs need to lower
their heads to chew hard
items. When training, try
to use soft food treats so
your dog can eat them
without lowering his
head and taking his
attention off you.
Are there food treats that I should avoid giving my dog?
Yes. The two primary foods to avoid
are chocolate and onions. Even
moderate amounts of these can lead
to your dog's death. Check with your
veterinarian if you want to try food
treats that are beyond the standard
hot dog pieces, cheese cubes, apple
chunks and so on. Also, if your dog
has diarrhea, it may be a sign that his
reward food did not agree with him.
What should I do if my dog is not interested
in his food treats, even the treats that he
normally loves?
Your dog may not be hungry enough to
want to work for food. Try timing your dog's
training sessions to occur just before his
meal time. Also, if he does not finish a meal,
make sure that his food bowl is out of reach
after his meal time so that he will not just
graze all day long. If your dog's reward is
kibble, remember to subtract what he eats as
a reward from his food bowl so he does not
consume too many calories during the day.
- Giving your dog a favorite toy for a moment of playtime during a training session is a great reward.
- Toys such as rubber bones, tennis balls or stuffed animals are common toy rewards. You should watch your dog when he is playing to determine which toys are his favorites.
- Playing a game with your dog is a great way to reward your dog for good work and to break up your training session.
- You can play games such as Hide and Seek , Fetch or Tug with your dog as a training reward.
- Playing games takes the pressure out of training and helps you and your dog strengthen your relationship.
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