Dogs Working For Treats

[kiesha09]

Every living creature in the history of evolution has had to do something to earn food. The exception is Paris Hilton, and look how that ended.

This has to be one of the best quotes I've read on DOL

[Leema]

How adorable is Clover! And how smart!!! What is she like now? Surely titled in sports?

Shamefully, no. But thank-you.

Clover could do everything if I wasn't such a lazy mum!

She is titled in conformation and earthdog, and is on her way to being titled in tracking... Lazy sports like her lazy mum.

Clover is same as ever, but now screams at me when she thinks I'm doing it wrong.

[huski]

I've had comments like "oh my dog could do that if I had food too" in response to people seeing me train Daisy at the park etc (I usually think 'really? your dog could do an Open change of position or a drop on recall as long as you had food? how about you take some of mine and demonstrate now?' but in reality just shrug it off).

Edited March 30, 2011 by huski

[tlc]

Don't get me started!

Let me just say, that my "Clover at 14 weeks" (

) video caused a stir on a Border Terrier forum. All Clover's meals, at that age, was spent after she had done something. She got no 'free food'. I was considered abusive as I was 'not letting my dog eat in peace' and not letting 'my puppy be a puppy'. Strangely, it was actually quite a few people who held this viewpoint and I subsequently got banned from this forum.

you got banned, wow tough bunch!!

Clover is adorable and she doesn't look any worse for wear!

[tlc]

I've had comments like "oh my dog could do that if I had food too" in response to people seeing me train Daisy at the park etc (I usually think 'really? you're dog could do an Open change of position or a drop on recall as long as you had food? how about you take some of mine and demonstrate now?' but in reality just shrug it off).

I think people say things like that because they are secretly jealous.

I have had people say it's ridiculous and not practical to take treats with you everywhere but I just say is it really?? how hard is it to grab a few pieces of kibble and put them in your pocket. Like I said earlier there is occasions that I don't take treats with me but I usually Have some kind of "treat" type food and if I'm in a hurry or run out a handfull of kibble works just as well.

Edited March 30, 2011 by tlc

[RallyValley]

How adorable is Clover! And how smart!!! What is she like now? Surely titled in sports?

Shamefully, no. But thank-you.

Clover could do everything if I wasn't such a lazy mum!

She is titled in conformation and earthdog, and is on her way to being titled in tracking... Lazy sports like her lazy mum.

Clover is same as ever, but now screams at me when she thinks I'm doing it wrong.

Would love to see an updated video

Yes only three sports, how lazy

I love her work ethic, reminds me of a certain Toller I know.

[tlc]

I have a code word incase of emergencys for very fast recall and it s TREATS in a really high pitched voice and it works well, I must admit now that mine are older I don't always take treats it depends on where we are going.

I have one of those special "words" - used at the beach at rabbit time

Something very very special - and they get one trial run every time we get there, just so they know I have them.

With the hospital visits, it must give the residents so much pleasure being able to give treats to your dogs, so I do think that having them do little tricks (the pups not the residents) would give them pleasure too.

I also think that getting treats on their visits without having to work for them is ok, as they are actually being rewarded for being good therapy dogs. Maybe if the hospital is the only place they get treats without work then it would be ok?

Annie

I meant to reply to your post earlier, so what is your "special" word??

You are so right about the hospital, the residents love to see the dogs do some tricks and also love to see them getting rewarded. The treats come in handy on occasion when you come across something out of the ordinary, such as last fortnight we came across a lady in a huge motorized wheel chair with a strange very close fitting helmet, (she may have had a head injury) she really wanted to say hello to Tully, now Tully was not to sure and had a little woof kind of under her breath if that makes sense. But she inched up to the chair and so nicely let the lady give her a pat. I gave the lady some treats to give her and it worked great. Last week we seen the same lady still wearing the helmet and Tully didn't bat an eye, she was fantastic, I was so proud of her!

[kirst_goldens]

How do you demoralise something that has no morals?

Your friend is anthropomorphising dogs. Unless he is interested in learning a little bit about how different training methods work, I would avoid the subject with him in future.

100% agree!!

Some people think dogs should get treats just because u would think he would understand where ur coming from if he worked stock with dogs as they work for their meals... but some people cant see that as pets needing the same system... They dont work day in adn day out for us (mostly) so we need to create a situation for them to work for SOMETHING...

If he doesnt understand then dont bother with him or avoid the subject... just tell him this is how i do it if u dont agree thats fine pls dont treat my dog... sounds harsh but it can undo al the training if he is sneeking them food for nothing!!

We get it all the time in the kennels... puppy wuppy will miss me so heres a ginormous bad of treats for u to give them to make them feel better... they dont understand that we will become their pack and fill the hole then when they go home the original pack returns... they dont "miss" people... we have had dogs not give a crap about their owners at pick up time cause we bonded as a pack where as at home their is no leader... funny really.. ok rambling!! sorry hahaha