Why does my dog listen better without treats during training?

I see that Tyson is still a puppy, only 4 months old :) Remember that he's just a baby - it's normal that he still needs lots of treats for training. If you want him to be able to listen when you don't have a treat, you first need to teach him that even if he doesn't see a treat in your hand, he will still get one - this means asking him to sit (or lie down, or whatever) with nothing in your hands, then praising and giving a treat from your pocket when he listens. Over time, he will learn that it's worth paying attention to you even if he doesn't see the treat beforehand. Eventually, you won't need to give a treat every time he does something - but don't rush this! He needs a long reward history of getting a treat when he listens to you before you can expect him to be reliable. Make a habit of carrying treats in your pocket all the time, so that you can always surprise him with a reward when he does what you ask. I would also highly recommend the book "Perfect Puppy in 7 Days" by Dr. Sophia Yin if you're having training issues with Tyson - it's a great resource for puppy training and behavior.

Hi there. Brody sounds like a very normal dog :) Very often, we humans overestimate how rewarding our dogs find praise and petting... most dogs think these are okay, but not much to be worth working for. And that's okay! We expect payment for doing our jobs too, not just a pat on the back from our boss. There is no harm in continuing to use treats to reward Brody when he does what you ask. If there is a specific reason you need to work up to working without treats (such as for formal obedience competition, or something similar), this can certainly be done - but it's a lot of extra work, so honestly I don't usually recommend it for my pet dog students. Just keep some treats handy around the house and in your pockets, and pay Brody for a job well done.

It's a dog thing. Most dogs are incredibly food motivated. Start by trying to get Noble to do a command when you are just around the house or out for a walk. Give him lots of praise for performing the command. Continue using treats when you are in a training session. As he gets older, he will be less dependent on treats for positive reinforcement.

Try this. Let him see the treat. Then give him the command with no hand signals. He may move through all the tricks that he knows but as soon as he does the correct one, give him the reward and repeat the trick, something like ‘good sit’. Some dogs will not perform a command without a reward. Sometimes this is because they are young or easily distracted. This may change as they get older. Important thing is to remain positive and encourage the desired behavior. Best of luck.

In the beginning when training, treats train dogs to do these commands due to positive reinforcement. At a certain point, dogs will respond to commands regardless of getting treats or not because they become conditioned to the response to the command. At this age, you will likely have to continue giving Grace treats to get the response you want. Gradually reduce the frequency at which she receives treats and try and get her to respond to a command without a treat. Rather than a treat, try praising her and telling her how good she is. Dogs like praise as a reward as well. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Your puppy is still a bit young for lots of training, he is still a baby. I suggest you book in to a puppy training class once his vaccinations are done. As for treats, it is not always necessary to give food treats. Praising is a great treat and works just as well, if not better. Here is some additional information that will be helpful: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/puppy-behavior-and-training-training-basics

For training purposes we sometimes will give foods not normally recommended to our pups, such as SMALL pieces of cheese, tiny pieces of cooked hot dog, or a lick of a spoon with peanut butter or EZ cheese. Some dogs also really enjoy the freeze dried liver treats such as these https://www.chewy.com/stewart-pro-treat-beef-liver-freeze/dp/44918. As long as you are giving very little pieces and your dog doesn't have food allergies or a sensitive stomach these can be good choices for high value rewards. Other dogs respond well to being rewarded with a certain toy. Many dogs, for example, are in love with/obsessed with tennis balls and just getting to catch a tennis ball or hold it in their mouth can be a reward. Another way to increase treat motivation is to give a smaller meal or wait to give a meal until after your training session. Your dog may not be interested in treats if he just ate his whole bowl of food and has a full belly!