To treat or not to treat

[alanmc 0]

How many of you use treats to get results in training ? I personally use them with my 6 month old pup as its seems to be the best way to get results! Just wondering what other peoples views are on this?

[Lab 10,979]

If its working then keep it going. I'd try stopping it when you feel the dog has sussed out your commands though, really no need for it after that.

[alanmc 0]

Yes it does seem the best way to get results at the minute but I will try and phase them out gradually, she just doesn't seem that fussed about Paise and chest rubs and that, although she still get its when ever she does right.

[Mooch. 177]

Agree, keep doing as you are but try and phase it out. Have you heard of Pavlov? He discovered that a dog salivates when it expects food so every time he fed his dog he rang a bell. Eventually he could get the dog to salivate just by ringing the bell randomly. What I'm saying is your dog gets pleasure from food. If you praise at the same time as treating then eventually your dog should derive as much pleasure from the praise alone as it did from the food.

[Casso 1,261]

As the man says if treats work then thats great, if you approach it from the point of view that treats are the reinforcement for the correct action from the mutt,

but when the pups drive kicks in and its pulled in other directions by its prey instinct, you may find the pup is not so responsive some of the time while out,

then you may have to up your reinforcement in accordance to what is stimulating the pup,

in cases like that its up to your experience with the pup and having learnt what floats his boat in other words and have figured out what stimulates him and use that as a reinforcement,

Edited April 25, 2012 by Casso

[Francentey-FTB 29]

i would be bringing the tennis ball in as a treat,, at the minute no steadiness lots of fun, for a fast recall, would reward with a retrieve of the ball, gradually build up to the dog hunting for nthe ball.

[barraboy 28]

i used treats on the recall and sit, but not with retrieving. slowly phased them out and now at 8 months continue as before but without treats just praise alone. as i was advised whatever works use it.