The questions about fading out treats start the first day of class when dog owners notice the treat bag they brought is half empty. And class is only 10 minutes old.
“When can I stop rewarding my dog?”
Never.
“Do I have to give a treat for everything, forever?”
Not forever. But much longer than you think.
“Won’t my dog get fat?”
Use their regular daily food for rewards.
“I don’t usually carry treats on a walk.”
Time to start.
“Isn’t it bribery?”
No. It’s paying your dog for doing their job—just like cashing your paycheck.
Getting Some Perspective
Training your dog with positive reinforcement does not lock you into being a Pez dispenser for the rest of your dog’s life.
For the umpty-millionth time: dogs learn by the timing and placement of rewards. That is the learning phase of training.
Once your dog actually knows their stuff, then it’s time to worry about fading out treats.
The strict definition of “your dog knows it” is that you’d bet a full paycheck that your dog will obey a cue quickly and accurately. Then your dog will smile proudly and give you the “See! I did it!” look. You tell them what a wonderful dog they are, pet them, and get on with your life.
What happens if you stop too soon?
If you attempt to randomize, fade out treats, or neglect the reward part prematurely, you leave your dog hanging without feedback and nowhere to go.
- Imagine handing in a 20-page paper and getting it back from your teacher with no grade, no comments, and no way of knowing how you did.
- Uncomfortable at best. Demotivating for sure.
Failure to Communicate
Those treats you’re so anxious to do away with are your training currency—more precious than gold. They speak to your dog loudly and clearly:
- The dog does something right? Have a cookie.
- Not quite right? No cookie. Try again.
That is clear communication. The dog gets what they want when we get what we want. There is an unmistakable yes/no response, and dogs love knowing what’s going on.
Wait for the Magic
We have one student with absolutely amazing Miniature Poodles and a miserly nature that makes us crazy. In the last decade, we haven’t been able to convince her to be more generous with the treats—even when we take the leash for a demonstration and get the instantaneous performance she envies.
It’s not magic; it’s the fast reward that acknowledges a job well done.
Finally, with her newest puppy, we’ve managed to convince her to at least smile at her dog. We’re chipping away at her fossilized treat pouch, hoping it will open soon.
She’s never seen the magical transformation that happens: at some point in training, dogs begin to value the training game just as much as the cookie.
The “Transfer of Value” Effect
Transfer of value is a real thing. If a dog gets a reward every single time they go to their “Place,” pretty soon they’re going to love diving onto their place. It works for every training game, all the time. Pairing the game with the treat merges the value of one with the other.
Dogs always love the training games you like because:
- You play them the most.
- You’re happy about playing them.
- You remember to reward consistently and often.
Your dog will love any training game you practice. And once the dog performs reliably, you can start substituting other forms of reward.
Always Acknowledge a Job Well Done
Even when your dog is old, gray, and arthritic, they’ll still love playing training games. Booker’s training games have evolved into just games these days like putting his foam blocks away (he’s 13), but he still loves doing stuff. And he gets that treat most times when he does the stuff right.
Your job, throughout your dog’s life, is to let them know they’re a good dog. That you love them.
And that they’re worth all the paychecks you lost to their naughtiness.