Beyond using effective positive dog training methods, treats are often an understated critical part of the training puzzle.
Without the right treats, training can be inconsistent, inconvenient, and result in training strategies that appear to “not work.”
However, rarely do dog trainers spend enough time discussing the appropriate reinforcer for each unique client and dog. There are many variables at play, which we’ll evaluate today, to help you identify which dog training treats will be most effective and efficient for you to use with your dog.
When to Use Which Treats
Systematize Your Mechanics for a Successful Training Session
It’s challenging to level up your dog training expertise from classroom teachings and concepts to live, in-person training. There is often a gap when it comes to applying the theories and principles you know to be true and the live animals and humans you’re working with.
Today I hope to break down the mechanics of your training skills into pieces that can be used to analyze your progress – or lack thereof – when working with a client.
We all know there are many variables at play that will impact the effectiveness of your training. We’ll break each down into a rubric you can use in the field as a field guide to accelerate your success. I refuse to settle for the “some things take more time with some dogs” approach. In my opinion, lack of progress means there is an open loop we need to uncover in either your training mechanics or the needs of the dog.
If the dog is learning, you should see immediate progress on some level – effort, speed, or slight increased arousal should show that the dog is engaged and is understanding on some level that there is something to learn.
The first place to start is to assess whether you have chosen the right treats for the behavior and situation. Some treats can be too high value for the ask causing frustration and high arousal while some treats can be too low in value for the distracting environment you nay find yourself in. Knowing how to scale up and down the value of the treat you are using to adapt the situation is critical.
Let’s break this down into a table.
| Behavior Displayed | Treat Name | Type (Moist / Dry) | Distractions (Low/High) | Dog’s Arousal (Low/High) | Solution |
| Unresponsive / Walks off | Milkbone | Dry | High | High | Increase Value of Treat |
| Barking / Jumping / Pawing | Cheese Spray | Moist | Low | High | Reduce Value of Treat |
Inexperienced dog owners can find themselves exacerbating an issue by not using the right foods during training leading to people assuming that positive reinforcement “doesn’t work” when in reality by definition, positive reinforcement if a behaviors frequency doesn’t increase.
Situations in which you can or should increase the value of the treat you’re using
- You are able to deliver treats at a high rate of reinforcement.
- The environment is distracting due to noise, sights, or/and sounds.
- The behavior is critical for safety (recall) and needs a super sticky cue.
Situations in which you can or should decrease the value of the treat you’re using.
- The dog is jumping, pawing, or barking at you for more treats.
- Frequency of treats is low such as rehearsing a relax on a mat behavior.
- Relaxation is an important part of the exercise.
- If the dog will work for cheerios instead of cheese spray, then do that.
The overuse of high-value treats can lead to pickier eating in the future, a dog that works for only the best food, and increase the over cost of training over time.
Examples of High-Value Dog Training Treats
High-value treats will typically work to reinforce behavior in even the most distracting situations. Keep in mind that if a dog’s arousal level becomes elevated, they may still have trouble focusing and taking food. The can be caused by fear from environmental stimuli, excitement to engage in play, or arousal to pursue prey.
Listed below you’ll find only easy-to-store (no refrigeration needed), easy-to-use treats for your convenience.
Here are some great choices to start with: