ALL DOGS TORONTO
  • Home
  • Training Services
  • Puppy Basics
  • The Teenager Program
  • The Aggressive Dog Program
  • The Blog
  • About
  • Map & Customer Reviews
  • Photo Gallery
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Camille's Dog Wellness Supplies

Too Much food! the importance of removing food lures when training your dog

6/4/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
Food is one of the most important and useful tools in any dog owner's arsenal when training their dog, whether it be a new puppy or a new rescue. There is no quicker or more surefire way to get your dog's attention than to offer him or her a smelly, tasty treat. Positive reinforcement training absolutely relies on food rewards to draw out the appropriate behavior from most dogs and put it on cue, which is exactly what we, as dog owners want. Right?

In fact, it's not as straightforward as that. Food rewards, while extremely useful, can also cause difficulty for you and your canine. Particularly if they are not removed from training when your puppy is entering adolescence and adulthood. In the case of rescues, food rewards become problematic when they are used exclusively as a training method.

I'm going to talk about some of the reasons why it is critically important that you remove the promise of food from your interactions with your dog over time. I'm also going to explain to you how to do it.
Picture
What happens when we don't remove the food reward from our training and behavioral interactions with our dog? The answer depends on a few factors. The most important thing to understand when using food to train your dog is that the behaviors you are putting on cue may not be reliable in the absence of the food itself.

Let's look at one example. Imagine that you're in the dog park with your dog, having some social time with the other neighbourhood canines. Next thing you know, someone enters the dog park and leaves the gate wide open behind them. Excited by the entry of a new dog and person to the park, your dog speeds over to say hello. Sure enough, on the other side of the gate is another dog, this time on-leash. You reach into your pocket to pull out a treat to lure your dog back to your side except this time, you're wearing a different jacket. You find yourself with no treats available.

The danger is clear. If your dog makes it through that gate before a) the person who just entered clues in and closes it, and b) doesn't respond to your verbal command to return, you may be spending the next hour chasing him or her down. Let's look at another potential example.

You're having company. Someone entering the front door leaves it open a little longer than necessary and your dog slips out, across the yard and onto the sidewalk. The street is heavy with traffic. Perhaps you're aware of your dog slipping out right away and follow after - but again, you find yourself without a treat. Returning to the house to get one means you're taking your eyes off your dog for a good two or three minutes. You shout to your dog to come back, and he does. At least, part way. But upon sniffing the air around you, realizes you don't have a treat for him/her and takes off again for the street, tail wagging, having a great time.

The danger here is the traffic. And the fact that nothing is standing between it and your dog.
Picture
Some other issues that arise when food rewards are not phased out of our interactions with our dogs:

Obesity/extra weight. Being overweight causes a tremendous amount of discomfort for your dog, from painful joints, to lack of flexibility, inability to exercise for even short periods of time, lethargy, diabetes, stress on all internal organs, heart disease, increased blood pressure, digestive disorders, skin and hair problems, and decreased length and quality of life.

Scavenging. Dogs that are well-used, over a long period of time, to constant food reinforcement in terms of providing wanted or "good" behavior will often resort to aggressive scavenging when those rewards are not made readily available. This scavenging may take place in the home or when outside, on walks, or in the dog park. In a nutshell, every single time your dog sniffs even the slightest whiff of something that may be even partially edible, they're going to go for it quickly, sneakily, and aggressively. A dog used to the constant availability of food may also become aggressive about their food around other animals and humans. Thankfully, food aggression is generally a quick fix. If you have a food aggressive dog, seek out the help of a trainer right away.

So how do we make sure that our dog is going to listen to the commands we've put on cue with food when there isn't any food available?

In the dog training world, we call this process 'proofing'. Proofing doesn't only concern the removal of food rewards, but rather refers to the entire process of introducing distractions and different scenarios to your dog while putting the behavior we want on cue.
Picture
The first part of proofing in this instance is the removal of the food lure. To do this, start slow. You don't want to completely throw off your dog. 

Start by going through the usual commands you use with your dog at any given time. Instead of giving a treat for each request your dog completes correctly, only give your dog a treat for every other request done correctly. Feel free to alternate the with your dog's favorite toy, stuffed animal, or a good scratch behind the ears. After a few iterations of this (also be sure to rotate your commands. You want at least three so that your dog cannot predict or preempt your next request), only offer the treat every third request. Continue like this until your dog does exactly what you ask within a few seconds of the request, and until you're not using treats at all. As you gradually pull back the treats, be sure to ramp up the verbal reinforcement. "Good boy/girl! Well done! What a good dog you are!" and the like will let your dog know just how happy you are with him/her. Using hand signals as well (consistency is key!) will give your dog an extra leg up in understanding exactly what you want from him/her. 

The more fun you bring to training your dog, the more fun your dog will have. And because it will keep you and your furry companion keen and interested, you'll soon find that having fun with your dog is the best reinforcement of all. 
2 Comments
http://www.ukcvwritersreviews.com/ukcvexperts-review/ link
6/14/2017 02:47:05 pm

Thank you for sharing this very informative post. I now know the reason why I can't properly train my pup. It seems that I've been attracted his attention too much, by showing treats. I should find a better way to train him with dog treats. I'll be following your tips and help guide myself to improve my dog's discipline.

Reply
Nelson Grant link
10/19/2022 04:35:10 pm

But again, you find yourself without a treat. Returning to the house to get one means you're taking your eyes off your dog for a good two or three minutes. You shout to your dog to come back, and he does. I’m so thankful for your helpful post!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Camille Salter is the founder of All Dogs Toronto and a certified, knowledge-assessed dog trainer (CPDT-KA). She is the author of two books on dog behavior: Pandemic Puppy, Decoding the Dog Park, and the Big Book of Dog Training. 

    Camille studies neuroscience, applied animal behavior, canine  physiology and nutrition, ethical behavior analysis, evolutionary behavior psychology, neural networks, stress-free animal handling, behavior economics, coaching and consulting. 

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    March 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016

    Categories

    All
    Cats
    Dogs
    General
    Puppies

      want more? Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Newsletter

    RSS Feed

Books On Dogs and Dog Behavior by Camille Salter, CPDT-KA

Picture

Picture

Picture

Urban dog parks are fraught with risk. These environments host to an ever-changing assemblage of dogs with different backgrounds, life experiences, tolerances, and drives. Learn how to navigate them with confidence, safety, and skill with this navigation guide designed for the active dog parent in mind.​
​
"Pandemic Puppy" is a mini-book designed for the undersocialized puppy, and outlines best practices for puppy rearing, socialization during a pandemic, obedience, attention, calming behaviors, and compliance. All delivered in a force-free, scientific manner. Read this book. Once you have these lessons under your wing, you and your puppy will soar with excellence and never look back.



Picture

What Our Clients Are Saying

I adopted Frank not even a month ago. I’ve been training him myself, and got him to do ’sit,’ ‘down,’ ‘come,’ and ‘wait,’ at home. But when we went outside, it was a different story: he got a bit too excited, and that led to pulling on the leash, which wasn’t a pleasant experience for either of us. He never made eye contact with me, and calling his name and offering treats of all sorts didn’t do much, either. Working with Camille turned this around after just one session — she was so patient and calm with both me and Frank, and taught me how I could get Frank to connect the dots between paying attention to me and getting food. Since then, he comes and sits upon command even in the most distracting situations like being surrounded by other dogs in a park with firetruck siren blaring in the background. It’s been so rewarding to start developing this bond with Frank that will last a lifetime. Thank you Camille!” - Maythe Han

"There is only one word to describe Camille: AMAZING. My dog developed separation anxiety during the pandemic. I couldn't even use the washroom without my dog having a panic attack and after a single session and doing the homework, I'm suddenly leaving her alone for 3 hours like it's nothing. MIRACLE. Also, the GTA is filled with irresponsible dog owners who let their untrained dogs off leash in clearly on-leash areas. They sometimes come after us. It's very scary especially since if my dog reacts, she can get in trouble despite them breaking the law and us following it. Camille walked my dog and kept her calm as these inconsiderate owners and their dogs ran about. She teaches dogs and trains people. It was like watching a magician. I'll admit, I had my reservations our first session just based on the steep price, but after working with Camille I know without a doubt she is worth all that and more. Her methods are not for people looking for an easy fix with minimum work. You need to do the homework and put in the time. If you need a dog trainer, there is no one I recommend more than Camille. She will care for your dog like its her own. And just be aware, sometimes she will say things you won't like, but need to hear. When I heard my dog's timeline for separation anxiety was a few months and that I would need to keep her in daycare to avoid worsening things, I was pretty disheartened. Daycare isn't cheap. But she was giving me her professional and realistic opinion and it ultimately paid off. It really REALLY paid off. I honestly can't say enough about this canine miracle worker." - Evalina Ho

"Camille is a brilliant, caring and amazing trainer. She explains a range of outcomes and effort levels and helps navigate the emotional trials of puppyhood.

We are grateful for her knowledge and weekly check-ins to ensure we are on the right path with Hermes (our dog).

We truly support her positive reinforcement approach to dog training and are very satisfied with the results." - Graham Knowles

"I cannot say enough positive things about Camille Salter, the owner of All Dogs. From the moment my rescue dog and I met Camille, I knew she would work wonders. Her demeanor, grace and confidence made my dog fall in love her instantly. She is so incredibly knowledgeable that I try to soak up as much information as I can from her.

I highly highly recommend Camille Salter and All Dogs. Whether you are looking for a professional trainer or walking, she will provide you with all of the tools needed to ensure your dog is set up for success.

Camille is truly a pillar in the community of canine training within Toronto.

Thank you Camille!!" - Tessa Vaskas


Contact Us

    Subscribe Today!

Submit
  • Home
  • Training Services
  • Puppy Basics
  • The Teenager Program
  • The Aggressive Dog Program
  • The Blog
  • About
  • Map & Customer Reviews
  • Photo Gallery
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Camille's Dog Wellness Supplies