When using treats training your dog, they are not all created equal.  All dogs will have treats that are more valuable to them and those that are less so. The most valued treats will usually be something like cheese or cooked chicken, then frankfurters or similar and finally kibble.  While having a pocket full of kibble is great to reward your dog and reinforce already learned behaviour, it’s just not up to the job when learning a new behaviour, especially if that new behaviour is recall or impulse control.  When you’re teaching your dog new behaviours, it’s important to keep them motivated and interested. One of the easiest ways to do that is with a high rate of reinforcement (how often you give rewards) and to reward with something your dog finds valuable. In order to give your dog lots of treats in a short period of time, keep them small. You can always give a handful of treats if the behaviour warrants it. In order to maintain your dog at a healthy weight remember to take into consideration how many treats they have consumed during the day. Remember, your voice, your praise and your touch i.e. stroking them are also rewarding for your dog and are something you always have with you. The environment is also rewarding to your dog. So vary your treats depending on the activity and get practising your “Oh good boy!” voice. Continue reading Not all treats are created equal.