Canines learn to comply with their owner’s commands through a reward system. While they instinctively want to please their owners, they are driven to do so by the chance they might receive a reward for their compliance. This has proven to be an effective training aid for nearly all dogs. Essentially, if a particular behavior results in a treat, your pooch is more likely to display that same behavior in the future.

It’s important to understand the role of food during the training process. This includes when to provide treats and how to gradually wean your pooch from expecting them. Below, we’ll explore these issues in more detail.

The Most Powerful Motivator

Your canine enjoys food instinctively. While he looks forward to receiving your praise and enjoying other treats (e.g. going for a walk), nothing can take the place of food as a behavioral motivator. This is the reason most professional trainers encourage owners to integrate some type of edible treats into training sessions. They represent one of the best methods for reinforcing desired behaviors.

A lot of owners avoid using food because they’re worried their dogs might reach a point where they expect a reward for compliance. That is, they’re not complying as much as they are working for a payoff. While this is a possibility, owners can prevent it from happening by first recognizing when a reward becomes a payoff.

Using Treats As Rewards

When you give your canine a treat for responding correctly to your command, you are rewarding him for his obedience. In a way, the food represents a gift. It reinforces his behavior and encourages him to do likewise in the future.

There is a fine line between using food as a reward and relying upon it as a payoff. That line is crossed when your dog refuses to obey and you offer him a treat to coax his compliance. If you’re able to recognize the difference between these two dynamics, you can take steps to prevent this change in perception.

You should eventually wean your canine from expecting a reward each time he successfully responds to your commands. For example, in the beginning, provide his favorite morsel each time he complies. After a week, provide it every two or three times. Then, give him a reward every four or five times. Gradually, you’ll reach a point where you can expect his obedience without the need to provide a treat.

Other Methods To Encourage Desired Behavior

You can accelerate the weaning process by incorporating other rewards your dog finds appealing. For example, when he responds correctly to your commands, consider taking him for a short walk. Or, spend a few minutes playing with him or brushing his coat. While food will always remain his favorite treat, these alternative rewards remind him that his behavior is consistent with your wishes.

A Few Last Tips Regarding Dog Treats

The type of food items you use can play a key role in their usefulness as a training aid. This is not to suggest your canine will find some treats unappetizing; dogs tend to eat practically anything placed in front of them. Instead, some foods are better for his health and less likely to distract his attention.

First, use small, soft food items. Their size makes it easy to provide them liberally without worrying about your canine’s weight. Moreover, the soft texture prevents them from crumbling on the ground. Otherwise, your canine will spend too much time eating the crumbs.

Second, experiment with different flavors. Even though your canine will eat nearly anything, he’ll likely prefer certain flavors over others. If you identify his favorites, he’ll be easier to motivate.

Third, make sure the food items you provide are consistent with his dietary needs. Rather than giving him pieces of a cookie, use bits of cheese, chicken, and pasta (again, experiment).

As noted earlier, food is a powerful motivator for your dog. The key is to use it properly to help him become a better companion over the long run.

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Canines go through changes as they age in the same way people do. Their heart and kidneys become taxed and less capable of enduring extreme physical exertion. Their coats becomes less shiny and gray hairs may begin showing through. The pads of their feet might thicken, their joints may begin aching, and their immune system may be less able to hold diseases at bay.

There are plenty of things you can do to help your aging pooch adapt to life as a senior dog. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of exercise, meals that accommodate his age and activity level, and ongoing veterinary care. These are the cornerstones upon which your mature canine’s health depends.

The Importance Of Exercise For Mature Canines

A proper exercise program begins when your pet is a puppy. But it’s important to realize his exercise requirements will change as he ages. In fact, as a senior dog, he may be unable to do some of the things that came easy to him as a pup. Make an appointment with his veterinarian to tailor a program that considers his limitations (e.g. joint pain, reduced mobility, etc.).

One of the reasons exercise is so important for senior canines is because they tend to become overweight due to lack of activity. By taking your pooch for one or two walks each day, you’ll help him keep the extra pounds off. That, in turn, will help him sidestep health issues later.

Another benefit older dogs enjoy from physical activity is that it slows down joint deterioration. Arthritis is common among senior pets as the cartilage that cushions their bones wears away. Exercise delays the inevitable.

Prepare Meals To Fit Age And Activity Level

Owners often neglect to modify the meals they provide their older pets. This leads to obesity, which places excess stress on their dog’s heart, kidneys, and lungs. As your pooch ages, his activity level will decline. If you continue feeding him the same amount of food, his weight will increase. This is the reason it is important to provide meals that accommodate his age and activity requirements.

Your canine will still require a generous portion of proteins, fiber, and fats in order to stay healthy. However, you can afford to cut back on calories since he is unlikely to burn through them. Many commercial dog foods are specifically designed for older canines. They pack their formulations with the nutrients your pooch needs while leaving the unnecessary calories behind.

Provide Ongoing Veterinary Care

Like exercise, regular trips to the veterinarian should start as early as possible. That way, your canine will receive the proper vaccinations, preventative treatments for parasites, and dental exams as a puppy. These elements play a key role in helping him maintain his health as he ages.

When your dog becomes a senior, it is more important than ever that he receive regular physical and oral exams. He’ll need vaccinations to help his weakened immune system fight off diseases. He may need specialized tests done periodically, such as a urinalysis, EKG, thyroid exams, and monitoring of his blood pressure. These tests help your canine’s veterinarian detect problems and treat them before they worsen.

Planning For The End

Eventually, you’ll need to plan for the passing of your senior dog. A lifetime of loyalty and companionship will come to an end. For many owners, the best solution is euthanasia to help their pets avoid suffering in pain. Speak with your veterinarian regarding how it is handled and what to expect following the event.

Senior dogs need special attention and monitoring to help them maintain their health. As your canine’s body changes, his exercise requirements and dietary needs will also change. Work with his veterinarian to design a program that accommodates him.

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Canines jump on people for three main reasons. First, it’s natural. They do it from the moment they’re born as they play with their littermates. Puppies learn early that jumping is a form of greeting; they continue to do it with people unless they have been trained otherwise.

The second reason involves how dogs interact within their pack. Jumping is an expression of dominance within the hierarchy. In your home, you are the pack leader. If your pooch jumps on you, it might indicate he wants to usurp your position.

Third, canines jump because their owners have either encouraged the behavior or have done nothing to discourage it. This often evolves over time as the dog gains confidence his jumping is not only acceptable, but welcome.

Allowing the behavior to persist is dangerous, especially if it is triggered by a desire for more authority in your home. With this in mind, we’ll provide four quick tips below that you can use to break the habit.

Get On His Level

When you greet your canine, do so from a kneeling position. That way, you’ll remove his opportunity to jump on you. If he attempts to jump, immediately tell him “no!” and block his body with your knee. Don’t allow him to place his front paws on you.

When his feet are back on the ground, command him to sit. Greet and pet him – again, in a kneeling position – only after he complies.

Downplay Your Arrival

A lot of owners encourage their dogs’ jumping by immediately greeting them whenever they arrive home. Doing this communicates to your canine that your arrival is a significant event. Through repetition, he will learn to become excited, which makes him far more likely to jump on you.

Whenever you come home, ignore your canine for at least ten minutes. Don’t greet or pet him until that time passes. During the first few days, keep a spray bottle within reach. Spray him if he tries to get your attention by jumping on you. Also, ask your friends to do the same thing whenever they visit.

Master The “Sit And Stay”

Dogs can learn to sit on command within a single day. This command is critical for discouraging your pooch’s jumping. A canine that complies when you tell him to sit is less likely to jump on you. Sitting has a calming effect. For this reason, make sure your dog has mastered the sit command.

While canines can easily learn to sit, they have more difficulty staying still. Invest the necessary time to train him. Start with short periods and gradually lengthen them, using treats as training incentives. The effort is worthwhile. Like sitting, staying still has a calming effect and subtly discourages jumping.

Avoid Competitive Games

This is another activity in which owners participate without realizing it inspires their dogs to jump. They’ll engage in competitive games with their canines. For example, they’ll play tug-o-war with a rope or chew toy. Or, they’ll wrestle with their dogs.

This leads to problems because dogs do not understand that a specific behavior may be acceptable during certain times and unacceptable during others. Instead, they learn the aggressive activity is acceptable at all times. The competition also trains them that challenging their owner is acceptable.

Look for opportunities to play with your pooch, but avoid participating in “harmless” games that pit both of you against each other.

Training your canine to stop jumping on you, your family, and your friends should take less than a week. The key is to be consistent in your approach. Consistency removes any confusion and reinforces your desired message. Your dog will quickly learn to conform to your wishes and interact with you on your terms.

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