Need Advice on Transitioning Dog Training from Treats to Everyday Commands

General
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My dog has successfully completed 12 weeks of professional training, and we make it a point to work on his training at home regularly. However, I’ve noticed that he will only respond to commands if he sees a treat. If he doesn’t see one, he usually ignores us or even barks when we ask him to do something without offering a treat first.

Interestingly, he’s perfect in class, which makes it difficult for the trainers to believe us when we say he struggles at home.

I’m looking for advice on how to help him get the hang of commands without needing a treat every time. Also, any tips on how to continue his training at home outside of the class environment would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance :wink:

1 Like
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This is a common issue. I had the same experience with my pup. Gradually phasing out treats is important. Begin by rewarding with praise and pets, and then slowly reduce the frequency of treats.

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I used treats to get my dog to learn a trick and now she does it without treats. However, about every 5th time she foes the trick, I give her a treat, just to reinforce it.