Several dog owners fall into the camp of “treats are always a good reward for training.” Rewarding your dog with only treats for each command he learns to respond to and obey can get terribly dull and monotonous. There are so many other methods you can utilize to bring some fun into your training sessions with your dog.
Here are some tips to more delightfully engage your dog while training.
1. Be the dog owner that is really fun so your dog can easily recall you and what you’re trying to teach.
Several dogs tend to enjoy interactive play, and you can utilize this in recall training. If your dog does not seem interested in the treat you offer when working with your recall, switch it up and offer a toy instead. This is an excellent reward for your dog, as he learns that he can engage in playtime if he comes to you when called.
A short game of tug can be motivation enough for your dog to up and come to you when called every time, regardless of whatever interesting thing/creature he is interested in at the moment. He will learn that running and coming to you when called equals fun.
2. House training should be made simple.
When you house train a puppy, make sure that you treat every outdoor elimination like it is the best experience of your life. Your puppy needs to feel extravagant accolades for pooping outside of the house. Enthusiastically praise him and let him know he has made the wisest possible decision on the face of this planet. You might feel silly at first, but these boosts will help him realize that his eliminating outside is good, appropriate behavior. As awkward as you may feel with this method, it works quickly.
3. Tug on this (also known as Do not even think about it).
Have a tug toy with you when you go on your outings. You might find that the majority of the time, this can be enough to lure your dog’s focus away from the critter off the path or the odd cyclist. A good, old-fashioned game, which we know as tug right in the middle of your walk in the woods, could bring your dog great pleasure while teaching him you are the priority.
If your pet is not motivated by playtime, you could utilize different, healthy food rewards. You can have a small bite of meat or specialty dog food that will coax your dog into cooperating if the same and usual treats are doing a better job at keeping his enthusiasm.
Rewards for training can help you discover what your dog is motivated by and move forward with that.
4. Switch any rewards you give and see which ones stick.
Several dogs are incredibly motivated by food, and others thrive with playtime. In-house training, you can go far with a lot of vigorous praise.
Switch up any of the rewards you offer your dog in order to keep him interested. Determine what works best for your pet and go with it. Changing up the rewards you give him is a fascinating way to learn what he is interested in, and it definitely makes it more enjoyable for both of you.
