Good advice – if not a treat, then play

My students often ask me the same question. I also often see in classes that owners try to encourage their dog to perform a task with a treat, to no avail. And it doesn’t work!

Every dog is an individual. Every owner has a duty to learn as much as possible about their dog. If your dog doesn’t want cookies from the pet store, try giving him a sliced wiener or a smoked sprat. The treat must be EXTRA! It must smell and be a real pleasure for the dog. After all, it is a reward for completing a difficult task.

And remember – if you use treats as rewards in training, don’t give your dog a meal beforehand.
What if, despite trying different treats, your dog still doesn’t respond?

But remember – the reward must be. Because if you only show your dog a toy, and when it has done its job you don’t play with it, the next time it won’t react to the toy either. Just like you, when someone only promises things and never keeps their word – you stop believing them.