Why Quality Matters in Positive Reinforcement!
Guest Blog By Deidre Holland, Owner, The Happy Jack Co.
Dog training is an essential part of being a pet owner. It not only helps you and your dog communicate better, but it also promotes obedience, safety and a good relationship. One of the most common methods used during dog training is positive reinforcement, which involves rewarding good behaviour with treats.
But not all treats are created equal.
In this blog post, we will discuss why good quality dog trick-training treats are beneficial and how to choose the right treat for your dog.
In this short article, we cover:
The importance of using treats during trick-training
Why high-quality dog training treats matter
Choosing the right dog training treat
The importance of using treats when trick training your dog
Trick training is a fun and engaging way to bond with your dog and expand their skills. Treats can be an essential tool for trick training because they provide a form of positive reinforcement that encourages dogs to perform the desired behaviour. Positive reinforcement is the act of rewarding desired behaviour with something the dog finds valuable, such as a treat (though it could be a ball or a toy), in order to increase the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated.
Treats can be used to capture a new behaviour or to shape an existing one.
For example, when teaching your dog to shake, you can start by holding a treat in one hand and the dog’s paw in the other, then reward your dog with a treat when they lift their paw. Over time, you can gradually decrease the amount of physical assistance you provide until the dog can perform the behaviour on command.
In addition to encouraging the dog to perform the desired behaviour, treats can also help to keep your dog motivated during training.
Dogs are naturally curious and love to learn new things, but their attention span can be limited. By providing treats as a reward, you can keep your dog engaged and interested in the training process. By using high-quality treats, you can ensure that you are not only rewarding your dog for good behaviour but also providing them with a healthy snack. Additionally, you can use different types of treats to keep the training sessions interesting and engaging for your dog.
Why high-quality dog training treats matter
Nutritional benefits:
Nutritional benefits are one of the most important reasons to choose high-quality dog treats. Proper nutrition is essential for dogs' overall health and well-being, and many highly commercial dog treats are filled with fillers, preservatives, and artificial ingredients that can be harmful to dogs. High-quality dog training treats, on the other hand, are made with natural ingredients that provide essential nutrients and are free from harmful additives.
Behavioural benefits:
Using treats during training can have a significant impact on your dog's behaviour. One of the key benefits of using treats is that they provide a form of positive reinforcement that encourages dogs to repeat desired behaviours. Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool in dog training because it helps to build a strong association between the desired behaviour and the reward, which makes the dog more likely to repeat the behaviour in the future. Additionally, treats can be used to motivate dogs to learn new behaviours, making the training process more enjoyable for both you and your dog.
Another benefit of using treats during training is that they can help to increase your dog's motivation. Dogs are naturally motivated by food and providing a tasty treat as a reward can help to keep your dog engaged and interested in the training process. Treats can be especially useful for dogs that have a short attention span. By providing a treat at regular intervals, you can keep your dog motivated to continue training and prevent them from getting distracted.
It's important to remember the training session should be fun for you and your dog, leave them wanting more and stop before they get bored, or it becomes tedious and hard work. You want them to be excited the next time you have a training session together.
Health benefits:
Using high-quality dog training treats can have a positive impact on your dog's health. One of the key benefits is that high-quality treats are made with natural ingredients that provide essential nutrients for dogs. These treats are free from harmful additives such as fillers, preservatives, and artificial ingredients that can be found in many highly commercial dog treats. Furthermore, many commercial dog treats can cause allergies and sensitivities in dogs, so it is important to choose treats that are free from common allergens such as wheat, soy, and corn.
By providing your dog with a nutritious treat, you can ensure that you are not only rewarding them but also providing them with a healthy snack.
Choosing the right dog training treat
When it comes to choosing the right dog training treat, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Firstly, it is important to pay attention to the ingredients. Look for treats that are made with natural ingredients, and avoid those that contain fillers, preservatives, and artificial ingredients.
Secondly, consider the size and texture of the treat. The treat should be small enough to give your dog multiple rewards during a training session and easy to break into smaller pieces.
In conclusion, using high-quality dog training treats is essential for successful dog training. They offer a range of benefits, including proper nutrition, positive reinforcement, and improved health. When choosing a treat for training, it's important to use a reward that is high in value to your dog but doesn’t come at the cost of their health.
The Happy Jack Co range of dog training treats { https://thehappyjackco.com/collections/dog-treats} are made from premium Australian and New Zealand produce in an accredited facility. They are a single-source protein that ensures that dogs who suffer allergies can avoid potential health triggers, they contain no fillers, additives or sugar, just 100% pure protein. They are naturally delicious, healthy and a high reward for your dog.
If you would like to try The Happy Jack Co range of treats or other naturally pawsome products, you can use code LEASH15 at check out for 15% off.
About the author
Deidre Holland (pictured with Quality Control Officer) is the owner of The Happy Jack Co a small family business that creates naturally pawsome products to keep your dog looking, smelling and feeling pawsome.
You can shop their all-natural range of dog products here www.thehappyjackco.com
Follow them on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thehappyjackco/
Follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thehappyjackco