Dogs reply very well to positive feedback. Treats and food rewards are a convenient tool to be employed in your dog training sessions, as long as you know how to use food rewards without overusing them.
You use treats mainly to get your dog to be aware of you. One of the first things you need to do is simply let your dog know that you have gifts for them, and then ask them to follow you, giving them a treat now and then as they obey.
Don't scrimp on the treats, either. You can reward your dog at this time simply for paying attention to you, and for every good thing they do along the way. It's a great idea to use miniscule treats so you can use them quite frequently.
Once your dog learns your commands, you really don't have to continue to employ treats. They should not obey you just because they expect to finally get a treat, but because pleasing you by following your commands basically rewards your dog all by itself. You need to find further paths to reward them in your dog training sessions.
Nonetheless even trained dogs may need treats at times when they're distracted or not paying close enough attention for any reason. It's OK to use treats now and then even with an already-trained dog, but you do not want it to be normal.
It's important that your dog be well placed to follow your commands without food rewards, and that your dog doesn't associate that reward too strongly with each action. You use it as a dog training tool during your training sessions only rather than bribing them with food in their day to day life.
Bide your time with your dog, and attempt to understand that dog training is often very confusing for them. Ensure you stay patient, and consistent in the commands you give, to help them grow used to your training strategies.
This article was written to help in promoting healthy and positive dog training techniques as the easiest way to coach a dog. Please visit this dog blog for more information on dog obedience training.
