Dog treat training is one of the most effective ways to positively reinforce good behavior in any dog. Not all dogs respond well to treats, however. We explore some of the common reasons your dog may not respond to treats well, and what you can do to improve the process.
What are Dog Treats?
Dog treats are food items that are typically given to indulge or train dogs, as when puppies are first mastering the sit position. Treats are not essential to the pet’s daily food intake, but most dogs will do almost anything for the opportunity to grab a tasty treat.
Dog treat training is not the only way to inculcate good behavior. Another alternative to dog treat training is play as a reward. Hold your dog’s toy, and when the dog performs, play its favorite game.
Food-motivated behavior is what commonly behind positive reinforcement training, though. It can be an uphill task to teach your dog anything, but treats are a successful technique with most animals.
What happens if your pet isn’t responding to tasty biscuits, though? Here are five reasons it may turn down your treats:
5 Reasons Why Dog’s Don’t Respond to Treats
1. You’re Offering Low-value Treats
You may think your dog is being stubborn by not responding to your treats, but the truth is that it has been trained to avoid low-value reinforcers. It is advisable to do some reinforcement sampling before starting your dog training session. It will help you determine the kind of treats your furry friend would respond to in a particular training environment, which may depend primarily on their taste preferences.
2. Your Dog is Obese
You don’t need to work and learn if you don’t have the energy to engage. A fat dog also doesn’t need to work for its food. Your dog might not respond well to treats if it is overfed or continually pampered.
Whether your vet has informed you or you suspect that your dog has added too much weight, you should identify the reason behind the weight gain promptly so that you can manage it effectively. It’s important to help your overweight furry friend back to health to ensure good physical and behavioral results.
3. Your Dog Isn’t Hungry
If your dog has endless access to food, you may have a difficult time motivating it with even more to eat. The value of a treat depends on how much your dog wants it when you offer it.
Try to feed your dog at specific times of the day. It will help you determine when your furry friend is likely to be hungry with a higher chance of being willing to work for the reward.
4. Your Dog is Distressed
If your dog is healthy but unwilling to eat, it could be a sign of stress in the environment. You should realize that the ability to eat is an indicator of how secure your furry friend feels in their current routine and household.
If your dog is too stressed to accept any treats, there’s a high likelihood that it is only learning to tune you out in favor of the threatening environment.
5. Your Dog is Unwell
If your dog usually responds well to treats but is now avoiding them, it could be sick. Schedule an appointment with the vet.
What You Can Do
Before you give up on your training sessions, try high-value foods, like cheese, meat, and peanut butter. Remove distractions, like objects, sounds, people, smells, and other animals that may shift your dog’s attention from what you are trying to teach. Go somewhere quiet and see if their treat acceptance improves.
