Rewarding with food

[ali-s.j.]

I know it is much easier to train using treats, but do you need to keep using them? I don't give them to Phoebe on walks as a reward for coming back - I reward her with praise and make a big fuss of her :) I have taught Izzy to sit using treats, but I don't give her a treat now every time she sits when I tell her.
What do other people think about the idea that you should always reward recall with a treat?

[JulesB]

you are doing the right thing from what i was told at puppy classes. initially you reward all the time then you slowly reduce the rewards. this means that as they don't always know if they will get a treat they will keep doing what you ask them in the hope of getting a treat.

At puppy classes we started linking things like sit, down, paw etc and only rewarding after they had done two or three commands. Only thing is that Betty often tries to do sit, down, hi 5, all at the same time which makes her look like she's flagging someone down in an emergency as there are limbs and paws everywhere!!!!!

Sounds like the training is going well!

[ali-s.j.]

Oh Jules, that really made me laugh :laugh:

[JulesB]

Oh Jules, that really made me laugh :laugh:

You'd laugh even more if you saw her doing it as she's so desperate to please it becomes so frantic that it does look funny!!! These cockapoos do amuse us don't they!!!

[jaimia]

Hi Ali, im like you i dont always reward but Flossy still does what i ask ( well most of the time )

[kendal]

some poeple can never stop using treats cmpleatly, Delta for example still wont come and sit infrount of me for her lead to go back on, she stands and looks at me. all i have to do is male it look like i have a treat and she comes to me, i sometimes give her a treat and not other times, so she never nose when im bluffing.


izzy is still a baby dont rush her of the treats to soon, or change to a toy you would take on a walk anyway. like a ball, and make that her reward. but yeah teach her pat on the head or a tickle behind the ear is enought as a reward.

rememer pheobe is older and knows what you want from her. Izzy is still learning.

[ali-s.j.]

Thanks all :)

[wilfiboy]

Ahhh little Betty Boo x

[DONNA]

At puppy class (sorry to bore everyone yet again!!!ha ha) She said the only thing she would always continue to reward with food is the recall ,which makes sense really as this is probably one of the most important things you need your dog to do really.