A question many of our certified trainers get…

“Am I ok to give my dog a treat or toy for certain things, like getting in his crate or pottying in the yard?”

The answer is always the same…no, you shouldn’t. If you do that, you are shaping the dog to think it will get a treat or toy every time it does that task and if you don’t have that toy or treat available each time then you will not get that response.

Another issue that comes with this response is the level of distraction at that given moment. If the distraction is low your dog will almost always respond to that treat or toy item to get the desired task done…but what happens when the distraction isn’t low…for instance you need them to get into the crate because someone they have never met is at the front door and wants to come in.

Now your dog is highly distracted, and that toy or treat will not be enough to motivate them to do the desired task.

The cure for this is always the same. Calm and confident leadership from the owners which creates a truly obedient dog that will follow commands from the pack leader under any distraction.

Want to learn more? Contact your local certified Always Faithful Dog Trainer today!