Flash back to my three muskateer days. :)
When we use food rewards in our training it helps to get the “that’s right” message across to our dogs. A food reward…once understood is a powerful thing. But how many people do you know who’s dog will not do a thing they ask unless they are holding a food reward in hand and sight. Our dogs become accustom to performing for food and like it that way.
Training done right gets rid of food rewards very quickly…ASAP. What? I know what you’re thinking…”my dog won’t do anything without food.”
So how do you get rid of the whole idea of food rewards for every single behavior you ask your dog for? In the beginning of training a new behavior, a food reward is an excellent way to help your dog to “get it” quickly. Once they have a reliable behavior - meaning that they are pretty much performing it every time; we quickly start replacing the food reward with something that they would like.
Reliable - that may be relied on or trusted; dependable in achievement, accuracy, honesty.
Let’s take the sit behavior as it is the first thing that we typically teach. Starting out we ask for a sit and reward with food. Very quickly we replace the food with going for a walk, continuing to walk on a walk, being pet, playing ball or anything else that they would like. Keeping the occasional food reward for exceptionally difficult performances. Say sitting when out for a walk and a cat is across the street.
Implementing daily positive activities as a reward for sit or other behaviors creates a way of life for our dogs. No longer is sit done only if you have a handful of goods, but anytime you would like some manners, just ask. This should be done with all behaviors.
It is also a great way to do all of your training. Doing one 15 or 30 minute training session a day without any regard to manners the rest of the day will end up with you being frustrated. Train throughout the day and implement it into your day to day.
Once our dogs “get” a behavior, it is our job to start using it in our day to day. Otherwise you will end up having to bribe a behavior and that is not training at its best.