How to Train Your Dog Using Rewards

By Dr Duncan Houston

Reward-based training teaches your dog that particular behaviours lead to enjoyable outcomes. When your dog performs the behaviour you want, you immediately reinforce it with something they value.

This approach can be used to teach puppies, adult dogs and senior pets everything from basic manners to advanced cooperative-care skills. The key ingredients are good timing, appropriate rewards, achievable goals and plenty of repetition.

Quick Answer

To train your dog with rewards:

Choose one specific behaviour.
Begin in a quiet environment.
Use a reward your dog genuinely values.
Mark the correct behaviour immediately.
Deliver the reward promptly.
Repeat in short sessions.
Add the cue once the behaviour is predictable.
Increase distance, duration and distractions gradually.
Practise in different locations.
Reduce reward frequency only after the behaviour is reliable.

The reward comes after the desired behaviour. If your dog must see food before responding every time, the food has become part of the cue and needs to be faded gradually.

What Counts as a Reward?

A reward is anything your dog finds valuable enough to influence their future behaviour.

Common rewards include:

Small food treats
A portion of the dog’s normal food
Toys
Tug
Fetch
Praise
Gentle affection
Access to sniffing
Going through a doorway
Greeting a person
Getting into the car
Being released to play
Continuing a walk

The dog decides what is rewarding.

One dog may happily work for dry food at home but require chicken around distractions. Another may prefer a tennis ball to anything remotely edible.

If the behaviour does not become more likely, the reward may not be valuable enough, the timing may be poor or the exercise may be too difficult.

Choosing Training Treats

Effective training treats are usually:

Small
Soft
Easy to swallow
Safe for the individual dog
Quick to deliver
Valuable enough for the environment

Tiny treats allow you to perform more repetitions without feeding excessive calories. The appropriate size depends on the dog. A reward for a Chihuahua should not look like a sandwich.

Possible options include:

A portion of the dog’s regular food
Commercial training treats
Cooked chicken
Small pieces of cheese
Dog-safe meat
Veterinary-approved treats

Rich foods such as cheese, sausage and processed meat may be too fatty or salty for some dogs. They may be inappropriate for animals with pancreatitis, gastrointestinal disease, food allergies or prescribed veterinary diets.

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association recommends that treats make up less than 10% of a dog’s daily calorie intake. Treats should be safe, appropriately sized and should not replace a complete and balanced diet. Read the WSAVA guide to dog treats.

Create a Reward Ladder

Different situations require different levels of motivation.

Lower-Value Rewards

These may work for easy behaviours in quiet environments:

Regular dry food
Verbal praise
Gentle affection
Permission to move through a doorway

Medium-Value Rewards

These may help with moderately distracting environments:

Commercial training treats
A favourite toy
Tug
Access to sniffing

High-Value Rewards

These may be needed for difficult behaviours or distracting environments:

Cooked chicken
Dog-safe meat
A particularly exciting toy
A brief favourite game

Reserve the highest-value options for important or challenging tasks, such as recall, disengaging from wildlife or remaining calm around triggers.

Reward Timing Matters

The reward needs to be clearly connected to the behaviour.

The ideal sequence is:

Cue → behaviour → marker → reward

For example:

You say “sit”.
Your dog sits.
You say “yes”.
You provide a treat.

If your dog sits, stands, jumps and then receives food, they may believe jumping earned the reward.

The Merck Veterinary Manual recommends reinforcing new behaviour immediately and consistently until it is reliably repeated. Once the behaviour is learned, reinforcement can gradually become more variable. Read more about positive reinforcement.

What Is a Marker?

A marker identifies the exact moment your dog performs the desired behaviour.

Common markers include:

“Yes”
“Good”
A clicker
A brief hand signal for dogs with hearing loss

The marker acts like a promise that reinforcement is coming.

How to Introduce a Marker

Say “yes” or click.
Give your dog a treat.
Pause briefly.
Repeat approximately 10 times.
Begin using the marker when your dog performs an easy desirable behaviour.

The marker should be brief and consistent. Avoid using it repeatedly as encouragement or general praise.

Three Ways to Teach New Behaviours

Capturing

Capturing means waiting for your dog to perform a behaviour naturally and then reinforcing it.

You can capture:

Lying down
Looking at you
Resting their head
Entering a crate
Walking onto a mat
Remaining quiet
Relaxing

Example: Capturing a Down

Sit quietly with your dog.
Wait for them to lie down naturally.
Mark the moment their body touches the floor.
Deliver a treat.
Repeat whenever the behaviour occurs.
Add the cue “down” once the action becomes predictable.

Capturing is excellent for calm behaviours because the dog learns to offer them voluntarily.

Luring

Luring uses food or a toy to guide your dog through a movement.

Example: Luring a Sit

Hold a treat close to your dog’s nose.
Move it slowly upwards and slightly backwards.
As your dog follows the treat, their bottom may lower.
Mark the moment they sit.
Give the treat.

Do not push your dog’s hindquarters down.

Fade the Lure

After several successful repetitions:

Make the same hand movement without food in that hand.
Mark the sit.
Deliver the reward from your other hand or treat pouch.
Gradually make the hand signal smaller.
Add the verbal cue before the movement.

A lure is a temporary teaching tool, not something your dog should need to see forever.

Shaping

Shaping reinforces small steps towards a final behaviour.

It is useful for teaching:

Mat training
Entering a crate
Chin rests
Stepping onto scales
Retrieving objects
Cooperative veterinary care
Agility skills
Complex tricks

Example: Shaping Mat Training

Reward your dog for:

Looking at the mat
Moving towards it
Touching it with one paw
Placing two paws on it
Stepping onto it completely
Standing calmly
Sitting or lying down
Remaining there for longer

Do not wait for the entire finished behaviour before providing reinforcement. Reward progress.

Continuous and Intermittent Reinforcement

Continuous Reinforcement

Reward every correct response while your dog is learning a new behaviour.

This creates a clear and predictable connection between the action and the outcome.

Intermittent Reinforcement

Once the behaviour is fluent and reliable, begin rewarding selected responses rather than every repetition.

Continue rewarding:

Particularly fast responses
Difficult recalls
Behaviour around distractions
Longer duration
Improved precision
Exceptional choices

Do not stop rewarding suddenly. If reinforcement disappears before the behaviour is established, performance may weaken.

Real-life rewards can eventually replace some food rewards. For example, calmly waiting at the door may earn permission to go outside.

How to Add a Cue

Avoid repeatedly saying the cue before your dog understands the behaviour.

Instead:

Teach the behaviour first.
Wait until your dog performs it predictably.
Say the cue immediately before the behaviour.
Mark and reward.
Repeat.
Gradually remove any lure or extra movement.

If the cue is “sit”, say it once.

Repeating “sit, sit, sit, SIT” teaches the dog that the first few versions are merely opening negotiations.

Build Distance, Duration and Distraction

Training becomes more difficult in three main ways:

Distance: How far the dog is from you
Duration: How long the dog performs the behaviour
Distraction: What else is happening nearby

Increase only one challenge at a time.

For example, when teaching a stay:

Build one or two seconds of duration.
Add a very small step away.
Return and reward.
Practise in the same quiet room.
Add mild distractions only when the earlier stages are reliable.

If your dog begins failing repeatedly, the exercise has progressed too quickly.

Why Dogs “Forget” Behaviours Outdoors

Dogs do not automatically generalise a skill from one situation to every other environment.

Your dog may understand “sit” in the kitchen but struggle:

In the garden
On the footpath
At the veterinary clinic
Near another dog
When visitors arrive
At the park

This does not necessarily mean stubbornness.

The outdoor environment may contain stronger smells, movement, noises and competing rewards. Return to easier criteria and use more valuable reinforcement.

Treat every new environment as a partial restart.

What if My Dog Appears to Ignore Me?

Possible explanations include:

The cue has not been fully learned
The environment is too distracting
The reward is not valuable enough
The dog is confused
The cue has been repeated too often
The dog is frightened or overwhelmed
The dog is tired
The dog is experiencing pain or illness
The behaviour has not been practised in that location

Reduce the difficulty before assuming your dog is refusing deliberately.

What if My Dog Will Not Take Treats?

Food refusal during training may indicate:

The dog is full
The reward is not valuable
The dog is distracted
The environment is overwhelming
The dog is frightened
The dog feels nauseated
The dog is painful or unwell

Try:

Softer or smellier treats
Smaller pieces
Training before a meal
A quieter environment
Increasing distance from distractions
Shorter sessions
Toys or access to sniffing

If your dog normally enjoys food but suddenly refuses it, particularly with appetite or behaviour changes, arrange a veterinary examination.

Teaching a Reliable Recall

Recall should predict something worthwhile.

Start Indoors

Stand close to your dog.
Say their name and recall cue once.
Move backwards encouragingly.
Mark when they move towards you.
Reward generously when they arrive.
Release them again.

Build Reliability

Gradually practise:

From farther away
In different rooms
In a secure garden
On a long line outdoors
Around carefully controlled distractions

Sometimes call your dog, reward them and release them back to playing. If recall always ends the fun, your dog may become less willing to return.

Never punish your dog after they come to you, even if they took longer than expected.

Training Calm Behaviour

Reward-based training is not limited to active commands.

Reinforce your dog when they:

Lie down voluntarily
Rest their head
Relax on a mat
Watch a trigger calmly
Settle after excitement
Choose not to bark
Disengage from another dog
Remain calm during handling

Quietly delivering a treat during natural relaxation helps your dog learn that calm behaviour also produces good things.

Keep Training Sessions Short

For many dogs, several short sessions are more effective than one long session.

A session may last:

Thirty seconds for a young puppy
Two to five minutes for basic training
Several repetitions during ordinary daily routines

Stop when your dog is still engaged.

Signs that a break may be needed include:

Turning away
Sniffing the ground repeatedly
Scratching
Yawning
Lip licking
Refusing rewards
Leaving the area
Becoming increasingly excitable
Making repeated mistakes

Training should be challenging enough to create learning without causing frustration or fear.

Reward-Based Training Does Not Mean Ignoring Safety

Management prevents your dog from practising unsafe or unwanted behaviour while training is underway.

Examples include:

Using a lead near roads
Keeping food away from bench edges
Closing doors
Using baby gates
Securing rubbish bins
Using a long line during recall training
Separating dogs during high-value feeding
Preventing access to toxic or dangerous objects

You do not need to wait for your dog to make a dangerous mistake before teaching them.

Why Punishment Can Backfire

Punishment-based methods may include:

Shouting
Lead corrections
Physical intimidation
Alpha rolls
Prong collars
Choke chains
Electronic collars
Spray collars
Deliberate startling

These techniques may stop visible behaviour temporarily without changing the reason it occurred.

Potential consequences include:

Fear
Avoidance
Anxiety
Defensive aggression
Reduced willingness to participate
Negative associations with people or environments
Suppression of warning signals

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends reward-based training for teaching skills and addressing behaviour problems. It advises against methods relying on force, pain or emotional discomfort. Read the AVSAB position statement.

Common Reward-Based Training Mistakes

Rewarding Too Late

Your dog may associate the reward with the wrong behaviour.

Showing Food Before Every Cue

This can make visible food part of the signal. Fade the lure early and reward from another hand or your treat pouch.

Using Treats That Are Too Large

Large treats slow training and can add excessive calories.

Making the Task Too Difficult

Reduce distance, duration or distractions when your dog struggles.

Repeating the Cue

Give the cue once, then make the next repetition easier if your dog does not respond.

Fading Rewards Too Soon

Build a strong reinforcement history before reducing frequency.

Using the Same Reward Everywhere

A reward that works at home may be ignored at the park.

Training for Too Long

Stop before your dog becomes tired, frustrated or disengaged.

Ignoring Stress Signals

A frightened dog may be unable to learn effectively.

Expecting the Dog to Generalise Automatically

Practise the behaviour in multiple environments.

When to Speak With Your Veterinarian

Arrange a veterinary assessment if your dog develops:

Sudden reluctance to train
Reduced appetite
Sensitivity to touch
Limping or stiffness
Confusion
New irritability or aggression
Difficulty sitting, lying down or standing
Night-time restlessness
Reduced response to familiar cues
Sudden fearfulness
Unusual vocalisation

Pain, sensory decline and other medical conditions can affect learning and behaviour.

When to Consult a Training Professional

A qualified reward-based trainer can help with:

Puppy training
Recall
Loose-lead walking
Jumping
Mat training
Cooperative care
Household manners
Selecting suitable rewards

Seek veterinary and specialist behavioural support for:

Aggression
Bite incidents
Severe anxiety
Separation-related distress
Compulsive behaviour
Extreme fear
Self-injury
Sudden behavioural changes

Ask any trainer which methods and equipment they use. Avoid professionals who rely on fear, dominance or pain, refuse to explain their methods or guarantee results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is reward-based training suitable for every dog?

Yes. The rewards, environment and training steps must be adapted to the individual. Complex behaviour problems may also require veterinary care and specialist support.

How many treats can I use?

Training treats should remain within your dog’s overall nutritional and calorie plan. As a general guide, extras should account for less than 10% of daily calorie intake.

Can I use my dog’s normal food?

Yes, particularly in quiet environments. More distracting situations may require something more valuable.

Do I have to reward every behaviour forever?

No. Once a behaviour is reliable, rewards can become less frequent and more varied. Important or difficult behaviours should continue to be reinforced.

Is using a treat to guide my dog bribery?

A lure is a temporary teaching tool. Fade the visible food and begin rewarding after the behaviour so the dog learns to respond without seeing the treat first.

Why does my dog behave at home but not outside?

Dogs do not generalise behaviours automatically. Outdoor environments contain additional distractions, so return to easier criteria and use more valuable reinforcement.

Final Thoughts

Successful reward-based training depends on clarity, timing and setting your dog up to succeed.

Choose a reward your dog values, reinforce the behaviour immediately and increase difficulty gradually. When your dog struggles, adjust the exercise rather than assuming they are stubborn.

Training should feel like teamwork. Your dog learns what works, you learn how they communicate and both of you become much better at understanding one another.

Get Personalised Training Support With ASK A VET™

Not sure which rewards to use or why your dog struggles in particular situations?

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Use the ASK A VET™ app to:

Track training sessions and progress
Record triggers and behaviour changes
Upload videos of training challenges
Monitor treats, diet and weight
Set training and medication reminders
Discuss concerning changes with a veterinary professional

Download the ASK A VET™ app or visit AskAVet.com for personalised support with your dog’s training and behaviour.

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About the author

Dr Duncan Houston

Veterinarian · Founder of ASK A VET

Every ASK A VET article is written and reviewed by qualified veterinarians.

About Dr. Duncan →drduncanthevet

How to Train Your Dog Using Rewards