My puppy only works for treats. How do I transition off them?

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.

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.

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.

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.

The snacks can interfere with training because Pocky is more interested in the treats than in you. It is certainly not necessary to use treats to train, and I don't use them in beginner obedience for this reason. Second, treats can undermine the trainer's confidence if he relies on them--he comes to think he "needs" them to make his dog respond. . And last, rewards need to be given aat precisely the right time, and most amateur trainers are not good at rewarding with goodies initially. Aussies are very receptive to training, so feel free to forget about the treats and just let the trainng be between you and your dog. Good luck!

Combine the treat with a hand signal, such as pointing at the floor, and a command ("Linda, down!") Praise her if she starts to, even if she doesn't get all the way down, so she gets the idea that this is what you want. Gradually phase out the treat to every other attempt, then every third, etc. until you do away with it altogether and she drops just on your command and hand signal alone.

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