Using food as a treat is a form of positive reinforcement, it is a kind of powerful reward to motivate your dog most of the time.
You cannot depend on food all the time for your dog to listen to your commands. If you have issues with your puppy not listing to you unless you give them a treat.
Then you must find an alternative way. Food reward is the way to build up a strong dog behavior. So, be ready to learn ‘dog training without treats’.
How To Teach A Dog To Come Without Treats?
Professional dog trainers, train the dog on the basis of treats training but when training is complete dog never asks for the treat.
So, how we can teach our dog? First understand, dogs always want to please their master at any cost.
To make your dog understand that he is obeying commands correctly, he will need the reward.
Rewards can be many types as you can take your dog out for a walk or play with your dog fetching games.
You can call your dog to come and if he follows your command then get the leash off.
You are still rewarding your dog but not just treat. Try to build a strong connection with the dog because a dog will focus on the treat not on task.
Can You Train A Dog Without Using Treats?
It is easy to train your dog successfully with positive reinforcement of a treat. But still, there are some dog owners who love dog training without treats.
There can be many issues not to train a dog with treats, food allergy, or weight problems.
You need to find out the way or type of reward your dog is willing to work for. Police or military canines are trained not to use the treat, they only use the dog’s favorite chewable toy.
You can use another alternative reward system to praise your dog, for example, you are teaching your dog ‘Sit’ command and when your dog follows that command correctly, you reward your dog ‘Good boy’ or ‘Great job’.
Dog leash training is also possible without using treats.
Treat Less Dog-Training
Treat plays an important role to build a strong behavior but it is not possible for you to use a food treat every time.
Here are some alternative rewards for your dog to praise. Play with your dog and you can build a strong bond with your dog.
Your dog will start to follow your commands without a food treat. You can use toys, games, or play in training.
For example, you are trying to teach you puppy “Come” command ask your dog to come before giving him any his favorite toy or play.
These types of rewards will help your dog in self-control, using fewer food treats.
Here are some common phrases you can use as a reward, like ‘Good Dog’ ‘Good boy or girl, or ‘Good Job’.
Use food treat first but try to reduce according to time when you feel your puppy is following your instructions.
Also Read: How To Teach Dog Obedience Training Online At Home in 30 Days
How To Train A Dog Who Does Not Like Treats?
As like humans, we do not like the same thing, our taste, habit, and way of thinking is different to each other.
The same thing applies to dogs as well, some dogs do not like food treats. Find out a special toy for your dog which he likes the most and your job is done.
Start training session and when he has done something correctly, give him his favorite toy.
Leave your dog for 2 – 3 minutes with his toy and let him enjoy. If your dog likes tennis balls (90% dogs like) then surprise him with another ball.
Let me tell you how, when you reward your dog with one tennis ball, hide another ball in your pocket. Surprise your dog while he is enjoying the ball under his paws.
Also Read: How To Teach Dog Tracking Training in 2021 – The Ultimate Guide
How To Crate Train A Puppy Without Treats
Introducing your dog to the ‘Crate’ without treats is the hardest part but still dog training without treats is possible.
You will need a powerful motivation or tool that can help your dog to introduce to the crate.
A chewable toy is a very good tool, it will help your dog to keep busy in the crate when you are not home. Use some verbal praise to encourage your dog or physical touch as a reward.
Some dogs are very responsive to their owner when they get physical treats like belly or back rubbing.
Go near your dog crate three to four times and praise him with rubbing massage as well as verbal praise.
Also Read: The Best Ways to Utilize Advanced Dog Training
How To Teach A Puppy Its Name Without Treats
Dogs are smart animals and pick their name quickly but you must use their name from day first. Take your dog inside the home with no distraction and say out loud his name.
Now, it’s time to treat him and some dog owners do not use food treats. Instead of using a food treat you can use verbal praise like ‘Good Flash’ whatever his/her name.
You can play with your dog games like ‘catch me’ in this game you frequently call your dog’s name for example, ‘catch me Flash’. Call your puppy’s name loudly from a distance and if he responded then take him out for a walk.
Another without treat idea is, play with your dog fetching game. Take a chewable toy and throw that at a distance and now ask your puppy with his name to take back that toy. As a treat, you can give that toy to your dog to play with.
How Do You Train Your Dog To Sit And Stay Without Treats?
Three kinds of possible rewards a dog needs while training. That could be food for some dog breeds, while other breeds like attention and exercise.
Do some experiments with your puppy and find out what is most responsive. Now, use that reward as a tool in basic obedience training (sit and stay).
Some canines like playing with toys, few dogs like running and walking. Start sit and stay training and reward your puppy with some toy fetching game.
Reward or treat means you are motivating your pooch to follow your command accurately.
Is There A Way To Train A Dog Minus The Treats?
Definitely yes, the dog loves attention and care instead of treats. Reward your dog some praise and play-time instantly after following your command correctly.
Reward encourages dogs to follow your command flawlessly. Take your dog outside in the park, beach, or in a wooden area also part of a treat.
And take off his leash and let him explore the things. Dogs love exploring things with their nose. Use some real-life treats to minus the food treats.
Real-life treats also help to build a strong bond with your four legs friend.
Dog Training Without Treats With E-Collar
It’s a myth that an electronics collar hurt the dog and this is also used for punishment.
But this is not true my friend! E-collar made with modern technology where you can set stimulation level.
Dog collar comes with an option of vibration and tone (beep) also. E-collar is helpful to remind the canine to obey the command with a beep or vibration.
Teaching new commands, a dog collar is a helpful tool to prevent distraction. You can give an indication to your dog when he/she doing something inappropriate (for example: chewing the garbage).
Be aware! Never buy a cheap dog e-collar that might have a high shock level and can hurt your dog. This collar is also waterproof, you can train your dog in the field.
Conclusion: We already discussed how to improve dog training without treats. There are many other ways to praise your dog, you can play with him, some other activity which he does like. Treat can be the root of some diseases like overweight or food allergy. Use fewer treats and find an alternative way to praise your dog will help to make your relationship strong. Some dogs do not like a food treat, so find out interesting things for them as a reward. It could be playing with a tennis ball or chewable toys etc. So, never think again that you can not train your dog without a treat.
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