In order to strongly imprint a new behavior, Canine Command employs high value food treats dogs willingly work for to get rewarded. Canines are primarily carnivores so cooked beef, liver, salmon, turkey, and chicken work well. For those who object because they think this is human food please note wolves and canines have been eating this type of protein for a million years versus homo sapiens(us) for just 25,000 years! We’re eating their food, not the other way around! Avoid the highly processed treats found at the pet store- they are expensive and filled with sugars and preservatives! Remember the reward for desired behavior must come within one to two seconds for your dog to make the connection.
Once your dog has learned a behavior make sure you start fading treats in favor of other rewards like petting, praise, chew toys, walks and anything else your dog likes. You don’t want to be in a situation where you have to food bribe your dog to do a behavior! You do want to continue to use a high value treat intermittently to keep the behavior strong. We call this jackpot training. Casino owners keep their slot machine players devoted to playing by providing rewards intermittently. We do the same for our canines. If your dog knows that eventually (the first time he does a sit, maybe the seventh time) he’s going to get jackpotted with a piece of cooked chicken, he will willingly continue to sit!
Since dogs make associations within 1 to 2 seconds, do not use a hard treat to reward. It takes at least 5 seconds for a dog to satiate from a hard treat meaning the association won’t be made between the behavior offered and the reward. Soft, aromatic protein provides instant satiation allowing the dog to make a positive association between his behavior and the reward. You can also heat up the protein in your microwave to make the treat even more compelling to your dog’s nose which is a thousand times more sensitive than yours!!
Remember to raise a Canine Good Citizen requires an owner’s patience, praise, and practice. Training is a lifelong commitment to your dog requiring daily practice (a couple minutes twice a day). You will develop an incredibly strong bond between you and your furry friend as well as a calm, well-behaved canine!