Dog obedience training is something that all puppies should complete. You don’t have to pay an expensive professional to educate your canine on the basics. In fact, when you get involved and train your pet on your own, you can learn many things about how a dog sees the world. If you decide to use dog treats as a training reward, make sure you know the right way to go about doing it. When done incorrectly, you could wind up with an obese pet or a picky eater.

Good Treats for Good Dogs

Your dog should learn to work for all dog treats he or she receives. Those big brown eyes and sweet smile should not earn your pet a reward. Make sure you are only treating when your dog has done something correctly. This is intended to be used as a positive reinforcement for good behavior. Never offer a food reward after your pet has done something wrong or incorrect. If you do, reversing the bad training will be far more difficult than doing it right the first time.

Should I Treat Every Time?

Regardless of which dog training method you choose to follow, you will be teaching your pet a little bit at a time. More complex commands will require multiple steps that will each require multiple repetitions. Make sure you do not over feed dog treats and avoid giving a food reward after every single success. Instead, save the enticing biscuit or soft dog treat for the bigger triumphs. The other “smaller” successes should not go un-awarded. Instead, offer vigorous praise and an affectionate pat on the head or scratch behind the ears.

This will keep your pet guessing without losing interest or becoming frustrated with the training. Put yourself in the dog’s position. Frustration can become a problem if your pet never receives the rewards he or she is working for. Make sure you combine verbal praise and petting with dog treats. Plus, this will prevent your pet from gaining weight and losing his or her appetite for daily meals. Dog treats should never replace your pet’s nutritious food.

Timing the Treat Reward

Dog treats make a great reward, provided you time it exactly right. It is easy to confuse your anxious canine if you do not treat at the right moment. Your dog cannot understand what you are saying, so the communication comes through tone, gestures and rewards. If you want to tell your pet they did the right thing, make sure the reward comes immediately after the success. The longer you wait to give your pet the reward, the harder it will be for him or her to discern what behavior earned it.

Motivation and Dog Treats

Dog treats are a great way to keep your pet motivated during obedience training. Remember, even when using a food reward, it is often best to keep training sessions short. A few short sessions can be far more effective than one long one. With a little understanding and conservative use of dog treats, you can learn how to communicate with your pet while teaching him or her a few new tricks.

Author Bio: Article by Kimberly Case of www.dogtreatstogo.com where you can find a large selection of Dog Treats Online!

Category: Pets
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