Treat bags are wonderful things. They make it easy to grab a treat during training. They keep dog treats and crumbs out of the washing machine from the pockets where you last had the treats. They are convenient and people love them for training.
So what could be wrong? As a trainer, I recognize the benefits and if I visit a dog with behavior issues it’s almost mandatory. However, when I am in a group class setting where you and the dogs get to know one another, I will never wear one and highly recommend that my owners don’t use one in their training, either.
Dogs are very sensitive to patterns. It is very easy for them to spot the pattern of “treat bag on, I get good stuff for doing what I’m asked”. When the treat back is not present, there is no real motivation for behaving. It’s like how we use treats to lure and then reward. When you teach a dog a command, you will lure (treat in command hand) for only 8-10 repetitions. If the lure is still being used after that, you run the risk of having the dog not respond. The same is a risk with treat bags.
Recommendation; use a treat bag sparingly, maybe just in a group class setting or when you’re out on a walk. The rest of the time, use treats on high surfaces that you can get occasionally throughout a training session.
Things to remember
- Training should be 2-5 minutes 10 times a day
- Treats are not mandatory. Although food is sometimes the fastest and easiest way to get a dog to pay attention, you can use anything a dog things is “good stuff”: balls, tug; etc.
- Use natural rewards often. if you use what is in the environment, you won’t have to worry about having or not having treats with you
- Treat every interaction with your dog as a training opportunity and praise him accordingly
Happy Training!
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