Training using treats and food does tend to get your dog responding quickly but the fact is that in the long run it actually teaches him not to respond to your commands,
Why do I say this? When your dog sees food in your hand he has a reason to obey. However, when you are not armed with food the chances of him obeying you are slim.
The fact is that you do not want to have to bribe your dog. Here are a couple of helpful hints to get - and keep - your dog responding to you:
1. PRAISE!
Dogs thrive on praise and you can use this instead of food. If you get excited and tell him (in a happy tone) how amazingly well he has done to the extend he too gets excited then this is a reward in itself for him.
Swap food for praise and you will not only cut down on your dog's calorie intake but will get great results during training. It may take slightly longer to get an initial response but it's worth it.
2. MIX UP THE REWARDS
If you really do feel like you have to use food to train your dog then make sure you vary the frequency and type of "prize" he gets. Here is an example:
First time he obeys: praise only.
Second time he obeys: Food treat.
Third time he obeys: throw his toy for him.
Dont be predictable with his rewards. Keep him guessing and you will keep him responding!
Remember: you want your dog to respond to you because he wants to please you - not because he wants food!
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