Treat Talk: Using Treats Effectively in Dog Training
I get asked about the use of treats in dog training all the time.
Shouldn’t my dog just do what I ask to please me?
Will I have to use treats forever?
If I use treats, will my dog only respond when food is visible?
Isn’t this too much food? What about weight gain?
These are reasonable questions. There is widespread confusion about how dogs learn, why behavior changes, and how to use dog training treats in a way that supports both behavior goals and overall health.
This guide provides some information about why food works so well in training, how to use treats effectively, how to fade food prompts, and how to choose treats that support successful positive reinforcement dog training.
Why Use Treats in Dog Training?
The connection between people and dogs is undeniable. Dogs have lived alongside humans for thousands of years, and they are often social and attentive to us, and eager to engage. It is easy to see why many people believe dogs simply want to please us.
At the same time, behavior is driven by consequences. Dogs, like all animals, repeat behaviors that lead to outcomes they value and are less likely to repeat behaviors that do not. Understanding this does not diminish the relationship, and clear understanding of learning processes often strengthens it.
Food has always been part of the human–dog relationship. Access to food was one of the major benefits dogs gained from living near people. Today, food remains an efficient reinforcer in dog training.
Using treats in training helps us:
Clearly reinforce behaviors we want to see more often
Build strong learning associations
Get many successful repetitions in a short period of time
Create positive training experiences
Increase engagement and motivation
Dog training treats can support learning in several different ways, depending on your goal.
Using Treats as a Lure
A lure uses food to guide a dog into position or motion. For example, you might hold a treat near your dog’s nose and move your hand upward to encourage a sit, or toward the floor to encourage a down.
With luring:
The treat is visible at first
The food guides the movement
The treat is delivered after the behavior is completed
Lures are useful, but it is usually helpful to fade them early so the dog does not become dependent on seeing food first, and so that the human does not develop the habit of showing the food first..
Using Treats as Reinforcement
Reinforcement means the treat comes after the behavior and increases the likelihood that the behavior will happen again.
You can reinforce behavior without showing food in advance. For example, you can capture a sit by waiting for your dog to sit on their own, marking it with “yes” or a click, and then delivering a treat.
The sequence is:
Dog performs behavior
You mark the behavior
You deliver a treat
Using Treat Placement as a Prompt
Treat delivery location can be used to prompt movement and position.
For example, when teaching a dog to go to a mat or platform, you can deliver a treat directly to that location so the dog moves there to collect it. Then you give a release cue such as “okay” and deliver the next treat away from that spot. Alternating treat placement between locations builds the desired movement.
After enough repetitions, many dogs begin to move to the target location before the food appears. At that point, you can raise criteria and deliver the treat after the dog reaches the correct spot.
Will You Need to Use Treats Forever?
This is one of the most common questions about using food in dog training.
For some behaviors, treats remain part of long-term maintenance. Reinforcement maintains behavior. There is nothing inherently wrong with continued food reinforcement.
For other behaviors, you can shift to non-food reinforcement such as:
Access to the yard
Going through a doorway
Sniffing opportunities
Play
Toys
Social interaction
The goal is not to eliminate reinforcement, but rather to expand the types of reinforcement you use.
Most trainers want dogs to respond even when food is not visible. That comes from good training structure, including fading lures and using prompts and timing thoughtfully, not from avoiding treats.
How to Fade the Lure
If you use food as a lure, begin fading it early.
A simple lure-fading process:
Hold food in your hand and lure the behavior
Mark and feed
Repeat a few times
Make the same hand motion without food in your hand
Mark the behavior
Reach to your pouch or treat station and deliver the treat
This teaches the dog to follow the cue and hand signal rather than the visible food.
Additional strategies that reduce food dependence:
Keep your treat pouch behind you instead of front and center
Use a neutral hand position that does not signal food
Store treats in bowls or containers nearby
Mark first, then go get the treat
You can also give cues when no treats are present. If the dog responds, mark and then retrieve reinforcement. Treat stations around the house make this easier and faster.
Using Real-Life Reinforcement
Reinforcement is anything that increases behavior. It does not have to be food.
Examples of functional reinforcement include:
Sitting calmly → door opens
Waiting politely → leash clips on
Standing still → harness comes off
Calm car behavior → release to exit
Walking nicely on leash → release to sniff
Food is often the most efficient way to teach new skills. Real-life reinforcement is often effective for maintaining them.
Choosing the Best Treats for Dog Training
Not all dog training treats are equal. Good training treats should be:
Appropriate in calorie level
Easy to handle
Quick to eat
Non-crumbly
Appealing to your dog
Easy to deliver repeatedly
Calorie Control and Nutrition
Training treats should be counted as part of your dog’s daily food intake whenever possible.
Calorie-conscious options include:
Your dog’s regular kibble
Novel kibbles
Lean meats such as baked chicken breast
Small pieces of cooked fish or beef
Refrigerated fresh dog foods cut into small pieces
Higher-value treats used in smaller quantities for more difficult tasks, might include items like:
Cheese
Liver
Braunschweiger
Soft squeeze treats and purees also work well for some training and can be purchased or prepared at home. Blended pumpkin and salmon is a favorite in my house!
Plan your dog’s daily intake so training treats are included in the total. Dogs should be fed regularly including outside of training sessions. Training should not depend on food deprivation.
Preference and Variety
Food value is not fixed. It can shift based on:
Novelty
Frequency
Context
Competing distractions
Rotating treat types may help maintain interest. Foods given less often often become more valuable.
Treat Structure and Delivery
Treats that crumble can slow training because dogs must search for fragments. In many training situations, faster repetitions can support faster learning.
Treats that hold together and can be delivered cleanly support better training flow.
It is useful to teach treat delivery skills such as:
Taking food from a flat palm
Catching tossed treats
Chasing and returning
Finding scattered treats
These delivery games increase engagement and can make lower-value food more interesting. In some cases, you may actually want to slow things down and use more crumbly treats though. For example, I like to teach my dogs to snuffle for food scatters both in the grass and in snuffle mats. This skill can be especially useful when I hope to bring arousal levels down, or work at a slower pace. In these situations, crumbly treats can work well.
Consider your session goals and select your treats accordingly.
Logistics: Making Treat-Based Training Easier
Effective treat use requires preparation. Set up your environment so reinforcement is easy and fast.
At home:
Create treat stations with shelf-stable treats in closed containers
Place them out of reach of your dog
Keep them in frequently used areas
On walks and outings:
Use a well-designed treat pouch
Choose one with a wide opening and easy closure
Keep treats, bags, and tools organized
Store shelf-stable treats in sealed containers in your car
Easy access increases the likelihood that you will reinforce behaviors you want to see more often.
Beyond Food: Other Reinforcers in Dog Training
Food is powerful, but it is not the only reinforcer available.
Other reinforcers include:
Toys and play
Social interaction
Sniffing and exploration
Running and chasing
Distance from something stressful
Access to preferred spaces
Effective dog training uses multiple forms of reinforcement. Food is often the clearest and most efficient starting point.
Final Thoughts on Using Treats in Dog Training
Using treats in dog training can be practical, humane, and effective. Food can support clear communication, efficient learning, and positive training experiences. Treats are one of the most useful tools in dog training.
Used thoughtfully, treats support learning, strengthen behavior, and add value to the relationship you share with your dog.
