🎓 Dog Training: How to Use Rewards – Vet Edition 2025

Training your dog should be a partnership built on trust, clarity, and positivity—not pressure or fear. In this 2025 guide, I’m Dr Duncan Houston BVSc and I’ll show you how to train behaviors effectively using reward-based methods. From selecting the right treats to advanced techniques like capturing, luring, and shaping—here’s how to make learning fun and reliable for both of you. 🐶✨

Why Rewards Work

Positive reinforcement is scientifically proven to build stronger bonds, faster learning, and happier dogs. When your pup cooperates, mark the moment, reinforce it, and watch confidence grow. Force or punishments, on the other hand, often cause stress and resistance.

Choosing the Right Rewards

• Food treats: The gold standard in training—sticky, tasty, and motivating. Options include freeze-dried liver, chicken, cheese, hot dogs, or commercial treats.
• Size matters: Tiny bites (pea/kidney bean-sized) let you reward frequently without filling them up.
• High-value rewards: Save gourmet treats for tricky behaviors or high-distraction environments.
• Non-food rewards: Toys or praise can work, but food is usually best when teaching new skills.
• Praise and touch: Great for known behaviors—just not ideal for teaching new ones.

Timing & Marking Are Essential

Rewards work only when delivered at the perfect moment:

• Immediate reward: Reinforce within two seconds of behavior—otherwise the link is lost.
• Using markers: A clicker or a word like “Yes!” tells your dog *exactly* which behavior earned the treat.
• Workable delay: The marker bridges the gap when the reward isn’t instantly at hand.

Reinforcement Schedules

• Continuous reinforcement: Reward every correct response during early learning.
• Intermittent reinforcement: Once reliable, shift to occasional rewards (e.g., 1 in 3 or unpredictable patterns). This maintains behavior more persistently—like a slot machine!

Three Ways to Encourage Behaviors

1 • Capturing

Reward naturally occurring behaviors. Example: when your dog lies down, use your marker then reinforce—and add a cue (“Down”) later.

2 • Luring

Guide your dog with a treat to perform the behavior, then reward and layer the cue. Example: hold treat above muzzle to lure them into a sit, cue “Sit,” reward, then phase out lure.

3 • Shaping

Reward small steps toward a complex behavior. Example: teaching a dog to tip a teeter-totter—first reward a front paw touching, then full body, then crossing over.

Overcoming Training Hurdles

Not understanding your cue?

Dogs often rely on body language more than verbal cues—so maintain consistency and teach in different positions (standing, sitting). Hand signals can help too.

Distracted by environment?

Use high-value rewards in busy scenarios and reinforce focus early and often.

They come back, then fun ends?

Mix reward-only recall sessions with release cues and allow returning to play afterward to eliminate negative associations.

Too anxious to perform?

If fear overwhelms, behaviors become too difficult. Focus first on reducing anxiety and building confidence before advancing with cues.

Training Mistakes to Avoid

• ❌ Delayed rewards—that reinforce the wrong behavior (like barking)
• ❌ Punishment-based methods, which create fear and slow learning
• ❌ Inconsistency: vary cues and reward styles across all family members

Practical Keys to Success

• Break down steps: Teach complex behaviors in small, manageable goals.
• Keep sessions brief: 5–10 minutes, 1–3 times daily. Always end on a positive note.
• Stay upbeat: Train with happy voice and relaxed body language. If it isn’t fun, go simpler.
• Watch body language: Stress signs (ears back, panting, freezing) mean switch gears or take a break.
• Be consistent: Everyone must use the same cues and rewards.
• Capture cute moments: Turn quirks (rolling, standing up) into trained behaviors with cues like “Meerkat!” or “Roll!”

Building Real-Life Skills

Move your training into real-world situations:

• Practice “Sit” at the front door before guests arrive
• Reward “Leave it” when encountering tempting distractions on walks
• Build “Look at That” redirection during reactive exposures
• Use puzzle feeders to reinforce calm and focus in the home

Training as a Lifestyle

Training with rewards isn’t just a method—it’s a lifestyle that strengthens the bond between you and your dog. As you build skills, your dog learns to think, solve, and enjoy being with you—and training becomes a joyful, ongoing game.

📋 Summary Table: Reward-Based Methods** | Method | Key Use | Tip | |---------------|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------| | Capturing | Reward natural behaviors | Attach cue once behavior is reliable | | Luring | Teach behaviors step-by-step | Fade lure gradually | | Shaping | Build complex behaviors | Reward small successive steps | | Markers | Bridge to treat | Use consistently | | Food rewards | Teach new behaviors | Tiny, tasty, frequent | | Intermittent | Maintain learned behaviors | Fade unpredictably | ---

Final Thoughts from Dr Duncan Houston

Using rewards to train dogs is empowering—for both of you. It builds partnership, joy, and reliable behaviors without stress. By planning intentionally, reinforcing thoughtfully, and staying consistent, any family can learn together. Training becomes something you *do with* your dog, not *to* them.

Need help tailoring a training program, managing distractions, or handling anxiety-based blocks? Ask A Vet is here 24/7 with expert support. Download the app and let’s build that confident, joyful connection—together. 🐾