Using Food For Obedience vs Behavior Modification In Dog Training

Food! Most dogs love it. But some dogs couldn't care less about it. Some dogs are too reactive or too nervous to take it. So what do we do to motivate our dogs with food if they aren't the most food motivated? 

There are ways to make food more desirable. One of which is to use it when the dog is hungry. This might mean training before a meal or it might mean skipping a meal or reducing meal size for a few days. It might mean using higher value food and just cutting it up very small to avoid filling the dog up.

But you NEVER NEED food. Just to be clear. We get dogs all the time that won't take food when training, and it doesn't have to be an issue. But food can really be your friend when it comes to increasing behaviors, so we highly recommend using a food item that motivates your dog during obedience lessons. In fairly short order, you should be able to move to an intermittent feeding schedule instead of every rep. 

This might be every 3 or 4 reps and then every 5-7 reps and then eventually basically none. As feeding is decreasing, accountability is increasing (negative consequences ranging from annoying to very uncomfortable) is gradually increasing. Ultimately in the end, there is no payment for executing a simple command, but there is accountability for not executing. 

Behavioral stuff can be trickier. I  would argue that the majority of aggressive and reactive behavior is largely the product of a dog's genetics combined with positive reinforcement. In many behavioral situations I believe dogs and owners are best served to refrain from using food unless they are very well versed in what to do and when and what to watch for. This can be a challenge, even for seasoned dog trainers. You risk increasing things you don't want to. 

In behavioral situations I generally recommend sticking to clear instruction, exuding confidence, giving guidance, and using a calm assertive energy. Maybe some neutral praise is fine, but reducing overall arousal (food creates arousal) is usually more productive.