Training treats vs Snacks

21 Apr Training treats vs Snacks

Do you know the difference between a training treat and a snack? It is important to know what food to use when training. When teaching our dogs something new or shaping a behavior we need them motivated and engaged with us. This is why small(dime size or smaller), soft treats make great training rewards. It will keep the dog wanting more and bring out the focus we need. Using that certain treat your dog likes only during training will increase focus and motivation even more. Now, what if we used a large biscuit type snacks for training? First the dog will become full much faster leading to a drop in motivation and engagement. Second it will take the dog time to finish the snack, which means more time for the dog to lose focus. When the dog loses focus they become less interested in what we are trying to teach them. Ultimately snacks do not make good training rewards. This doesn’t mean not to have snacks around. They are still great, just in moderation and out of the training environment. There are hundreds of dog treats and snacks on the market. Some can be very similar, however you now have some insight on what will work best for training and what will be good for a daily snack.