If you were told that it is a bad idea to give your dog treats as praise, would this be good dog training advice? What if someone suggested that a dog must learn to obey you simply because you are his master. Is that sufficient advice?
First off, whether or not to give your dog treats is your own personal preference. Neither is a good or a bad choice. It depends on your style and what works best for you.
Do you want your dog expecting treats every time he obeys you? Probably not. If you did, expect your dog to pack on a lot of pounds over the years. But giving your dog treats during training sessions can be good.
Personally, I’d rather the dog simply accept my praise and appreciate that I am happy with his response.
Believe it or not, some dog owners believe their pets should obey because they are the boss. There is some logic to this, but they have to realize that for this to happen, they must earn their dog’s respect. This means showering the dog with praise when he does the right thing.
Dogs that are treated this way tend to be more responsive to their owners. They more readily learn and obey new commands. If there is no reward, either as praise or a treat, it is not so obvious when they do the right thing.
You probably know that there are trainers who know what they are doing and many who do not. Some live by old traditions. They are not familiar with the spectacular results discovered through research and testing.
Good dog training advice really should incorporate those new ideas because in many cases, they make training much easier and more successful.
