There is a great variety of treats out there owners can choose from to make dog training easier. Different dog ages, dog sizes and difficulty levels of tricks will help determine the choice of treat.

Other factors such as treat ingredients and product origin are important to many owners, for example: Are the ingredients natural? Where are the treats manufactured?

Remember: treats don’t replace toys. You still need toys that entertain and healthy chew toys to keep puppies and adult dogs stimulated and happy.

All dogs don’t have the same response to certain training methods, for example, lure and reward training versus clicker training. Most dogs, however, are motivated by treats that follow the desired response.

By relying on their love of food, you can lure them and motivate them to learn the right response to gain that very important reward. Still, not all foods and treats taste great.

So, the question is: which treats are fit to get the job done? Before making your choice, there are a few points to consider.

BE SURE TO STOCK UP ON LOW-VALUE AS WELL AS HIGH-VALUE TREATS

The first type, for example kibble, is great for the basic tricks and commands that are not that difficult to master. The second type, for example a piece of deboned cooked chicken, should be saved for those times when a response to harder commands is expected.

Apart from safe human foods, there are amazing, healthy, high-value options available these days. The variety will also help keep things interesting. If you have time, you can also prepare your own treats. Just don’t include any ingredients that are bad or dangerous for dogs.

WHAT MAKES A TREAT GREAT FOR TRAINING?

• Is the treat HEALTHY? Don’t overlook the importance of this feature. View the ingredients and check the nutrition information. Treats with supplements are even better.
• How GOOD does it SMELL and TASTE? Dogs, like humans, have different preferences, so experiment a bit to figure out which treats are the most enticing. Is it crunchy or chewy? Is the smell intense? Is it meaty? Does it offer a combination of textures and flavours?
• Is it PRACTICAL? If you’re going to carry it around during walks, you don’t want a greasy situation or a collection of crumbs to deal with.
• Is it the RIGHT SIZE? Large treats are thought to be less effective, unless you break them into smaller pieces. Small treats are easy and quick to eat so training can continue and calorie intake is controlled.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN REWARDING BEHAVIOUR WITH TREATS

• Always use the same tone of voice and gestures.
• Don’t let treats make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily diet.
• To maintain your dog’s weight, reduce food quantity on training days.
• Leftovers and scraps should not be substitutes for treats. They could contain unsafe or even toxic ingredients.

TREAT POUCH BENEFITS

Once you get a treat pouch for training, you’ll soon realise its benefits. Treats are not that accessible when carried around in a plastic bag and once you’ve had a round of training with messy treats in your pocket you’ll soon start hunting for a trusty training pouch.

THE CORRECT WAY TO HAND OUT TREATS

It’s great when dogs follow commands, but some dogs only follow commands when a treat is involved. Eventually, the command should stick without the reward.

What you should do: Reinforce. Only reward after good behaviour for long-term obedience.

What you should not do: Bribe. Don’t reward before a command is followed. You don’t want to end up with a dog that only obeys after being bribed. The short-term benefits are not worth it.

TRICKS WITHOUT TREATS AND HOW TO NOT RESORT TO BRIBERY

Once you start trying tricks or commands without treats your dog may stop responding to your requests and you can’t blame them because they have expectations.

So, maybe after no results, you resort to showing the treat after which they immediately respond. Unfortunately that’s bribery. If you’ve made this small mistake, it’s ok. Just stop using this method immediately.

What you should start doing:

• Never show treats before tricks (or commands).
• Only reveal treats after the expected behaviour follows.
• Phase out food lure as soon as possible (remove treats from training).
• Use a closed hand and command or gesture to encourage behaviour they’ve learnt (no treats in sight, but nearby) to eventually break the association of treat for trick (or reward for the right response).

Some believe training with treats should be phased out as soon as possible, but how do you know when it’s time? A good rule of thumb is to wait until your dog practically always responds correctly to a command in various situations.

Remember to remain consistent throughout training: use the same tone of voice and gestures.

That’s it for now. Good luck training with treats!

Most people know that cats can be trained, but not everyone knows that cats are also able to learn various tricks and behaviours. They are intelligent, independent animals and with the right training they can follow instructions (plus, they don’t really need that much approval).

Here are a few techniques and tips that can be helpful when training your new kitten. Let’s get started.

OBEDIENCE TRAINING FOR KITTENS

Remember, your kitten is young, curious and maybe even a little bit anxious after being separated from his mother and litter. So, the first thing you can do when teaching obedience is to keep training sessions short. 

Also, don’t try to introduce too many commands in the beginning. Choose one command and make sure your kitten masters it. Then only go on to the next one.

Now you want to make sure the command is not only associated with one context or area. You want your kitten to respond to you in various situations and places so practice in the kitchen, lounge, bedroom and everywhere else your kitten is allowed. 

Some owners use a clicker as a training aid to get the proper response for routines such as grooming (stand still) or occasions such as travelling (stay calm).

KITTEN TRAINING

Early training is really important if you want your kitten to understand the boundaries and learn her place in her new home as soon as possible. Bad habits can creep in easily and are so difficult (sometimes impossible) to unlearn. Exploring the trash, strutting on counters or tearing up expensive furniture are all concerning and often maddening behaviours.

However, with the right training approach, kitten obedience is achievable and will benefit everyone. Your kitten’s body and mind will be stimulated; social skills will improve; your home will be in a better state; and your bond will grow stronger.

To make training easier, be sure to stock up on loads of toys. Toys keep kittens occupied, not only physically, but mentally as well. Bonus tip: sprinkle some toys with catnip. When you notice your kitten doing something naughty, use a toy as distraction. The toy then functions as a reward from stopping the bad behaviour.

CAT BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE COMMON

With hands-on obedience training, you can address common problems quickly and hopefully prevent larger issues in the future. If you’re a cat owner you’ll be familiar with some, if not all, of these.

• Furniture scratching
• Avoiding the litter box
• Spraying and urinating
• Stress and fear or anxiety
• Aggression towards people or other animals
• Compulsive behaviours e.g. over-grooming, excessively scratching or biting

THE HOW-TO OF CAT TRAINING

A few lucky cat owners have eager learners, the rest might be stuck with cute furballs skilled at sweetly ignoring them. Cats have unique personalities, so the only thing you should rely on is your patience and persistence. Also don’t compare your kitten to (your) other cats. Plus, remember to keep daily sessions short, but frequent. It helps if you set aside specific times every day to practice (for example, before feeding and playtime).

Remember: cats don’t respond well to punishment. Usually they’ll hide or run away from you. This can lead to stress and possibly behavioural or health problems in the long run. A system that relies on reward to encourage good behaviour, for example praise or a treat, is likely to get better results. Keep teaching your kitten that good behaviour equals reward.

ADDRESSING BAD BEHAVIOUR

Changes in a cat’s environment, medical conditions or other interferences could all lead to stress and cause a cat to act out. It could also be that your cat simply doesn’t know what’s wrong and right. Because the reason is usually unclear, it’s better to redirect unwanted behaviour (in the right way) rather than punish them, which won’t be effective anyway. The last thing you want is for your cat to feel threatened by you, fueling the circle of stress and weakening the bond you share.

One good way to deal with issues is creating an association between something unpleasant and bad behaviours. Some scents and smells, for example perfume and citrus, put cats off. Try placing cotton balls, soaked in a scent your cat dislikes, around spots that are off limits. Good behaviour should not go without praise and reward.

Just because your cat won’t necessarily respond to approval doesn’t mean it’s not appreciated.

Most people will agree that puppies are adorable, but before getting one you should know that they also require lots of love, attention and training. You should start training your puppy as soon as they arrive at their new home. 

Remember: every action should be met with the right reaction, otherwise things will get (and stay) difficult.

TRY A TRAINING SCHEDULE

Besides all the adorableness, puppies are naturally energetic and incredibly curious. At times this can get a bit frustrating. You often have to hide things, watch them and train them at the same time. The trick is to react appropriately and face challenges with a plan. If you get it right, the adjustment period will be shorter and easier.

Dogs that are returned or given away are often the result of irresponsible, ignorant owners who did not bother to put in the work of training and responding to behaviour properly.

THINGS TO GET RIGHT

The easiest place to start is getting your puppy used to a daily routine. Routines are reassuring and it will make your life easier in the long run. Feeding habits (e.g. where he can find food) are easy to learn and a positive part of your puppy’s daily routine.

Things your puppy needs to learn:

• Bed time
• Rise time
• Bed location
• Feeding time
• Toys location
• Bathroom location
• The location of his food and water bowls

How you teach your puppy routines and commands really matters. You need to kindly establish that you are the boss and foster a healthy respect. If you can get this right early on, your puppy will be happy to behave well. If you get it wrong, you’ll need to arrange your life around your puppy’s wants and needs, which is highly frustrating.

This is a recipe for disappointment and other behaviour issues.

WORDS TO TEACH YOUR PUPPY

Besides routines, you should teach your puppy to respond to certain words. The first words your puppy should learn to understand are, “No” and “Good” at eight to ten weeks old. These words are key for clearly correcting and praising your pup. Words such as, “sit”, “come”, “leave”, “off”, “down”, “stay” and “quiet” can wait a bit.

“No” is all about, “Please stop what you’re doing” while “Good” is how you tell your pup, “What you’re doing is right.”

Make sure you use the right body language and tone of voice in the right context. When correcting your puppy, be firm, but don’t get angry. When praising, show clear approval, but not too much affection. These are basic instructions, not magic tricks you want them to perform.

What if, after 12 weeks, the words “No” and “Good” have not sunk in yet (don’t receive an immediate, correct response)?  Then you need to carry on teaching these words, until they’ve mastered them, before introducing new words.

It’s important to help people understand that raising and maintaining a dog, although rewarding, is not always easy. That’s where training comes in. 

Once you and your dog understand each other, life becomes pleasant and things can get fun.

TRAINING IS A TWO-WAY STREET

Dogs are entertaining creatures known for keeping humans company and some are even great exercise buddies. The thing is, not all dogs behave in a way that is socially acceptable, so if you want your dog to fit in well there’s work to be done. Your dog won’t just wake up one day and act the way you want him to.

Training your dog to be obedient and respond to commands is important for your relationship and future companionship. It’s also important to be kind, patient and remain consistent in your responses (and body language) to certain behaviours. First, you need to learn a few training skills before you start teaching.

Usually most dogs are keen to please, so it’s important that your instructions and directions are clear and that you reward appropriately.

WHEN SHOULD I START TRAINING MY DOG

Start training your new dog immediately, whether it’s a puppy or rescue dog. Picking up bad habits happens in the blink of an eye, so you need to be strict about certain behaviours from the get-go. Imagine, for example, you allow your puppy to sleep in your bed. Now imagine your adult dog jumping up every night, for the rest of his life… To make it easier, lay out the ground rules before your new furry friend arrives and make sure you stick to them, no matter how challenging.

TRY THESE TRAINING TIPS

Training Recipe Ingredients

Patience, willing pet, quiet space (distraction-free) and healthy, tasty treats suitable for puppies / your rescue dog’s size.

Additional Tip: If you need a little help, puppy confidence and training classes are great in terms of guidance, support and doggy socialisation. Just make sure you choose a reputable trainer/company.

The Right Training Aids & Equipment

Make sure you have the training aids you need, for example a harness, lead and clicker, if you’re going to use one.

Note: Keep training until your dog is comfortable with a command before using it in a ‘real’ situation.

Tasks

There are two categories of tasks. The one is related to behaviour; the other related to fun.

If you are clear, brief and armed with acceptable rewards, there are many other tricks and tasks you can teach your dog.

• Leave it
• Housetraining
• Sit, stay, down
• Walking to heel
• Retrieving objects
• Come/recall command
• Socialising with other dogs and people 
• Begging
• High five
• Play dead
• Giving paw
• Shutting the door
• Catching a ball/treat