Dogs should be rewarded in some way or another, the same as humans, they learn by being rewarded whether it be from a treat or affection. When a child is rewarded with an edible treat then they can often become spoilt and demand treats whenever they please or refuse to do something if an edible treat is not on offer, the same can be said for dogs. Are edible treats really the way forward?
Do you want to carry treats around with you forever?
When considering dog training, edible treats can seem like the obvious reward for them doing as they are asked or for displaying good behaviour. The trouble is, this may mean that your dog gets used to having edible treats all the time and you may have to carry a bag of some form of edible treat around with you forever, is that really a healthy way forward? There is affordable dog training in Sydney, which we recommend if you want to get the most out of your relationship with your dog.
My dog is getting too fat because I give them treats
Numerous dog owners will see their dogs getting overweight because of the number of edible treats that they consume. This isn’t the dog’s fault, but that of the owner, dogs consuming too many treats to a point that they become overweight is entirely in the owners’ hands and it shows a lack of understanding where training is involved. To let a dog become overweight based upon using edible treats as rewards for everything they do is completely unfair an unnatural for the dog.
My dog only obeys when a treat is on offer
Much like a spoilt child, only obeying when there is an edible treat is on offer is learnt behaviour and again, sits with the responsibility of the owner, dogs learn through repetition the same as humans so, if they expect something it is because they have been taught to do so. A dog that will only obey or follows a command based upon an edible treat being on offer is not healthy for the owner or the dog, instead try to find another way around it.
What else can be done?
If you are in the early stages of training, then this should be much easier, if the dog is already trained to expect an edible treat, then you may need some professional help. The treats don’t need to be edible; they could be in the form of a toy or something that the dog is fond of, sometimes a simple display of affection is enough and is a much healthier way forward for both dog and owner.
Comments are closed.