The debate about using treats for training is turning from “should we” to “how do we.” The who, what, when and why of treat training is the new norm, and while we will touch on them briefly, the where of treat training deserves special consideration.

Most educated dog trainers of this decade are using treats and rewards to indicate correct behaviour. Behaviourists also use food to help change dogs’ minds, rather than using force to push them into submission. When we know better, we do better.

A treat needs to be something that your dog will work for. It can be his daily kibble or a special tidbit. A wide assortment of food and treats is now available for dogs on a special diet or with allergy restrictions.

Treats can be used to teach a skill, then weaned off once the dog is proficient. There are many articles about random reinforcement and proper timing. It’s nice to know that the when of treat training is becoming common knowledge to dog trainers and the informed public.

We use food to train our dogs and modify their behaviour because it is clear and concise information. Dogs will work for the food initially and continue to comply if the treats are weaned off properly. And, it’s a lot of fun for dog lovers to use treats, praise and toys to motivate and teach their canine buddies.

That brings us to the last W.

Where will the dog receive his reward and where will the treat come from? When teaching a dog to lie down, we often use a reward to lure the dog into position. As the pup is lying down, we reward him as soon as we can’t see light under his belly. Most people will do this correctly, but it’s easy to see where it falls apart.

Once the dog understands “down,” we graduate to the down-stay. You ask our dog to lie down, leave him to stay and all is well. But, it’s not uncommon for the dog to get up as the owner returns. Many people, delighted that their dog was at least partially in position and not romping around the room, treat the dog. Now the dog thinks he’s being rewarded for sitting up when his owner comes back.

Clarity is one of the most important concepts in teaching. When you return to your dog, bend and reward him while he’s in the down position before he pops up into a sit.

This principle can be applied to all basic dog-training words, but the dog’s position is only the tip of the ice-berg. The position of the treat also needs consideration.

Holding a treat in your left hand when teaching your dog to walk beside you on a leash will improve his ability to understand what you’re asking him to do. Although it might feel awkward having your hands full with your leash, clicker and treats, it’s just a matter of practice. By using a treat in your left hand, you can indicate that your dog is correct by using a clicker or “Yes” and treating him every few steps. You can then start to ask for more steps from your dog, while still having his focus. Once that is mastered, you can periodically use food in the left hand, then none at all.

If your dog has become used to treats arriving from your left, he is more inclined to stay on the left. Of course, there are reasons to reward from your right hand. In competitive obedience, the judge is looking for a dog that heels on the left side, shoulder in line with the handler’s left leg. For dogs that tend to lag, using treats in the right hand to motivate the dog to keep pace is a good training option.

The position of the treats can also be used to the handler’s advantage when teaching a skill like jumping. Once you have taught your dog how to jump, it’s important to help him understand where he should land. You can use the position of the treat or reward to keep your dog centred. Place a reward slightly further away from the jump than the estimated landing zone. Practise sending your dog over the jump to get his reward in the correct place, and he will continue to jump straight out.

Your positioning with the reward can be utilized in many areas. If you are running with your dog rather than sending him to jump, you’ll want to have him run centred. During training, you’ll need to meet him with the reward in his landing zone. If you reward him outside the landing zone, he’ll soon cut the corner off the jump to meet up with you faster.

When you’re teaching your dog to go over a jump and return to you, you would not meet him in his landing zone. Send him over the jump, and encourage him to come around it and back to you. His treat will come when he is in position.
We can benefit from considering where the treat is from the dog’s perspective, and where the dog is when rewarded. Just some food for thought.