Making Tracks Adventures for Dogs

A cold day out with this hearty crew! 40 mins did just perfect in this -23 weather! Thank goodness for they are quickly becoming the preferred boot for the crew!

So much YASSSSSS to this!!! I adore her perspective!

“When can I get rid of using treats in training?”

Why does there have to be an end to it?

Help me understand.

✅ Straight up - using food works to reward behaviour you like so that it is offered more often, is carrying treats that big of a pain in the ass?

✅ It makes them happy, is that not reason enough to keep rewarding them for doing things you like?

✅ I promise you’re still “in control” of them if you’ve done enough efficient training when the treats aren’t present, but why not keep reinforcing them when they offer good behaviour with something they like?

✅ I love my job but would you do things you don’t naturally want to do (like work) for FREE? Food is like money to dogs, it builds incentive!

Personally, I choose to reward for life.

Because frankly, I’ve got nothing to prove, it makes him happy, and ultimately that makes me happy.

Sometimes a “reward” can be in the form of tossing a stick, letting Cedar off leash, changing my walking pace to running, letting him chase a squirrel, playing tug, etc. but generally, this boy likes his food (just like me 😉) & what gets rewarded —- gets repeated! So reward we do!

I’m all about rewarding him for offering behaviours I like, and those rewards don’t have an expiry date!

I challenge you to drop the “when can I stop using treats” agenda and instead consider, “how can I make walks more fun?”.

Life can be tough some days. We could all use a little more fun. I really think we need to drop the ego’s in dog training, stop aiming to gain so much control OVER them to prove something about ourselves. Have FUN with them. Your relationship will prosper!