How to train my dog without treats? Teach 'no' and Kong peanut butter?

Some dogs are so trained with treats that they will not do them without knowing they are going to get one. You can also try it with a piece of kibble in hand so that way he isn't getting anything extra. Some dogs do not play with toys. I would recommend just letting him enjoy the ball that he loves. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, there are things that you can do. I recommend treats. It all comes down to positive reinforcement. Puppies love treats so you just need to make sure you associate these commands with positive things such as treats to distract him. It will require persistence and consistency so stay there, you are doing well. Puppies just require some time while they learn but he will get there. Good luck and have a good evening!

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 1) Come, stay, sit, give paw, leave it, look and walk nicely (heel) on a leash should be learned. At 6 months they may not be perfect but at that age they can know how to do them. 2) This depends on what you want out of her. Are you doing agility or obedience trials or hunting? If not, then I would say 2-5 mins is reasonable. At 6 months old I am not surprised she gets up. I would gradually increase the stay increments and realize she is still young and easily distracted. I would give her a break every 5-10 mins. If she gets up then bring her back to position and then slowly distance yourself. Start over in a sense, giving treats every 30 sec to a minute until you get to your desired distance. 3) I would only train for 30-40 mins with at least 2-3 breaks. How many times a day is your personal preference and how much time you have a day to dedicate to dog training. 2-3 times per day sounds reasonable. Personally I could only dedicate one time per day during the week. 4) I don't have advice here as I am not a dog trainer and I am not sure what you mean. I would recommend you ask a professional dog trainer! I hope this helps!

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.