[nagdu] Question about using Treats

[Sherry Gomes]

Hi Danielle,

Here's my thoughts on treats. And just for background, I got my first dog
from GDB in 1975, long before treats. In those days we were told never ever
ever use food. So, when they started doing it, I balked and called the
trainer on it. But he encouraged me to try, and now I'm a huge convert. It's
so nice to use food rewards, helping to motivate the dog with something it
loves.

For dogs, food is one of their primary drives, probably the number one
drive. They aren't people, and they don't think like people. So, I feel that
using food rewards to help us bond, with me as the provider of the thing the
dog loves best, especially before it's really bonded to me, well, it's one
of the greatest tools I have to help my dog bond and learn. As for backing
off, if willa doesn't get overly excited over it and continues to behave
nicely, why back off. Maybe cut it back, but even using a kibble or two or
three or a few on a route, why not? My dog Bianca, now deceased, was the
first I really embraced food rewards with, and I continued to use them with
her to the end of her guiding life. Certain street crossings that were
absolutely terrifying to me but necessary to get to the job I had at the
time, I gave her kibbles or carrots every single time we got across that
street safely. I always use food in conjunction with verbal and physical
praise of course.

Now, Petunia, my golden girl, she was not much motivated by food when we
were first together, and the trainers had to give me some high value treats
to encourage her. Even now, she wants pets and hugs and praise first, but
she will take food from me. And to help her learn new things, like finding
light poles, I actually get a sighted friend of mine to help, and she goes
ahead and puts peanut butter on the thing I want Petunia to target. Works
every time!

So, in my opinion, as long as you and your dog are happy, what you're doing
works for both of you, and her behavior is consistent in regard to food,
maybe decrease it a bit if you feel you should, but no need to back off
completely. Dogs love their food, and if I'm the one, or you're the one,
providing that oh so loved thing, it only makes the dog bond more.

Just my opinion of course.

Sherry



Sherry

"The day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends
and break all bonds of fellowship, when the age of men comes crashing down. 
But it is not this day! This day, we fight!
By all that you hold dear, by this good earth, 
I bid you, STAND! Men, of the West!"
Aragorn, Lord of the Rings, Return of the King

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Danielle Burton
via nagdu
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 5:33 AM
To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List
Subject: [nagdu] Question about using Treats


Hi everyone,, for those of you who use treats with your dogs or has used
trts and transitioned them out is it easy to back off too quickly? I believe
I may have done this and I don't seem to be getting the responses I want
from my pup. I know some of you have  a strong disagreement to treats and
that's fine but we were trainged with jreats at the school and I had been
trying to phase them out. and just to clarify I take her treats out of her
morning kibble so she isn't getting extra food from the treats.  But I was
wondering if maybe she is the dog that may need them. OR if I backed off too
quickly and she  can't do that. We honly been a team since June so the
bonding is still taking place. I know some dogs get overly excted about
treats and therefore treats aren't effective for those dogs but she isn't
overly excited but will wait till I give it to her  and she won't try to
reach in friendnt of me to get at them but she does severm to do beter with
the treats. Any advice would appreciate. I am going to try to use the treats
like I did in the beginning for a week or and then try to back off again.
But has anyone ever had this problem?   
Danielle and Willa 


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