Are Treats Making Your Dog's Behavior Worse?
Dog training has turned into a shouting match. On one side are trainers who reward good behavior with food and avoid corrections. On the other are trainers who say a steady stream of treats has created dogs who don't listen unless there's a snack involved. A recent Wall Street Journal article described the fight as getting nastier by the day.
Both sides are arguing about tools. But most of what a dog learns has nothing to do with the tools used in a training session. It comes from what happens around him every day, and from how he reads the responses of the people in his life.
When treats help
Treats have their place. They can help teach a simple skill like "sit" or "down." Given at the right moment, they can also help change how a dog feels about something, like the sight of the vet's office or the sound of the doorbell.
The key words are at the right moment, and only if the dog actually values the food. Not every dog does. Some dogs aren't very interested in food at all, and many care far more about something else in the moment.
When treats backfire
Problems start when food is used to calm a dog down. A dog who is anxious, overexcited, or worked up gets a treat to settle him, and the owner hopes the moment will pass. But the treat arrives while the dog is in that state, and it can reward the very state of mind the owner wants to change.
Many dogs also learn to respond only when food is on hand. Dogs can smell whether you have treats in your pocket. A dog who sits beautifully in the kitchen with a bag of liver bits in sight may ignore you completely in the yard when your hands are empty.
Over time, treats can become the only tool an owner has. When food is the one way to get a dog's attention or cooperation, the owner can be left stuck in moments that matter most: when the dog is too worked up to care about food, or when there's no food in hand.
What your dog values besides food
Food is only one of many things a dog wants, and often not what he wants most. What a dog values changes from moment to moment. Right now it might be getting out the door. A minute later, it's greeting the visitor, reaching the other dog across the street, or continuing the walk.
Each of these is a reward, just as much as a treat. And people hand them out all day long, usually without realizing what they're rewarding.
How everyday routines teach your dog
Think about getting ready for a walk. Your dog is bouncing, whining, and spinning by the door. You pick up the leash. You reach for his collar. You open the door. You step outside.
Most people assume the dog is just happy, or that he really needs to go out. Maybe he was simply excited the first few times. But to your dog, each step is a step closer to what he wants, and each one is happening while he's bouncing and spinning. That isn't one reward at the end. It's several rewards in a row, each one telling him that his behavior is what makes the walk happen and keep going.
Over time, this becomes a pattern. We all develop patterns, and so do dogs. Think of the steps you go through brushing your teeth or driving to work. You don't decide each one; they just happen. The same is true for your dog. The bouncing and spinning at the door is no longer just excitement. It's what he has learned to do to make the walk start.
It's easy to keep going through the routine without realizing it's convincing the dog that his behavior is working. No food required.
The same pattern plays out at the front door when guests arrive, at the crate when a dog barks to get out, and on the leash when a dog pulls toward something he wants. The behavior that's happening as he gets closer to what he wants is the behavior he's learning.
What to notice in your own dog
Pick one routine your dog gets excited about. It might be the walk, mealtime, the crate, or someone arriving home.
First, notice what he wants most in that moment. Then watch what he's doing at each step along the way: when you stand up, when you reach for the leash or the latch, when the door opens. Is he calm, or barking, jumping, and spinning?
Whatever he's doing as each step brings him closer is what that routine is teaching him. Once you start seeing this, you'll notice it throughout the day.
The bigger picture
The argument over treats versus corrections misses where most learning happens: in everyday life, between training sessions, in moments that seem too small to matter. A dog is learning from what people do in response to his behavior all day long.
The American Dog Epidemic explains how to recognize what your dog values in the moment, and how to use everyday life to bring out the behavior you want.
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