Anyone train a dog without treats?

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I bought a couple of dog training books before my new dog came home, and they seem to use treats for everything.

Well, thus far my new dog shows no interest in treats, or food in general. We finally found a kibble/canned combo that he'll eat, and he's very matter of fact about that, but he won't eat any treat we've tried, won't take the kibble as a treat, doesn't pick up food we drop on the floor. He's just not into food I guess.

So, I need a new model of training. I'd love a book that came with a video so we could see it in action. Any good books that are on the gentle side that don't use treats?

Or, alternatively, anyone got a treat that no dog can resist? My friend told me to try bits of hot dog, which I will do, but not sure what else to try.

 

[RyeCrimsonMoon]

I use pieces of hot dogs or lunch meat (like ham, turkey, etc.) if I have it on hand. Other wise I use praise as a reward. My greyhound won't eat those dog treats very often and praise is the best thing to use with him.

 

[kacaju]

how about liver? It is super cheap, I just bought beef liver for $1.39 and chicken liver for $1.19. Boil it and then cut it in small pieces.

We use it for the show dogs, it gets their attention much better then normal dog treats.

If not that does he like toys? You can find a toy that he'd really like and keep it aside only to be used in training.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

You can use hot dogs, boiled chicken, liver treats.

I did train my previous collie using praise. She was too focused on food and it was almost impossible to train her using treats. The praise worked well along with a treat here and there.

 

[claudia]

you could try cheese

 

[FayeW]

I train my dogs with cat treats. Temptations or Pounce work well because they are smelly, and dogs seem to like things with a strong smell. I find it helps to reinforce behaviour because this is not the normal food, but a specific treat they get for specific behaviour. We have other things we give them in the house, but the cat treats are specific for the outside training.

 

[MJMouse]

My aunt has a dog who doesn't like treats... but she LOVES Cheerios! That said... praise works wonderfully well with my dog. She'll do anything for a "good girl."

 

[Hercules10]

All but one of my dog's are not food driven (the one that is, is part goat and will eat anything...). Instead of treats I use praise. Just a happy-toned "Good boy/girl" with a butt scratching or ear rub lets them know they did good.

Besides...my vet lectures me constantly on the dogs' weights and I'd never hear the end of it if he found out I had been giving them treats.

 

[MushyMushy]

How long have you had him? I know all my animals took a while to adjust in the house before they wanted to eat much. Just nerves, I think.

Other than that, I don't know. Toss a ball? I've seen that done, but then not every dog is a chaser. Is there a particular spot that he likes to have scratched? On the rump? Behind the ear? You could do that. My dogs love having their rumps scratched.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

We've had him a week, and he's already housebroken and got good manners (except a little chewing), so I'm not too worried about training him immediately -- we can wait for him to settle in. But since he's our first dog I feel like we need step to step directions. The book we have that someone suggests things like "to get your dog to lie down ask him to sit (which he does) then take a treat and move in right in front of him down to the floor and pull it out in an L shape". Or "to get him to stay, click and throw treats to him while he's lying on his bed". He's very praise motivated, but I'm not sure how these kind of things work with praise instead. I was hoping that there was a book out there that was similarly step by step but used toys or praise.

I should clarify that he's eating a lot! He lost about 4 lbs during the month he was in the shelter/transport/foster care, so it's really important that he eat -- it's just that he'll only eat a couple specific combinations of canned and dry food.

He truly is the sweetest dog I've ever met. I feel so lucky that he's part of our family.

 

[Jennasis]

Mr greyhound doesn't "do" treats either. Sure she'll eat a hot dog or hamburger when offered but it's like it's BENEATHE her to do a trick for one. She learned sit, stay lay down pretty easily and now will do them when asked for a good reason. If I try to make her do it for a treat now, she walks away in disgust...like "I am not your trained monkey and will not DANCE for you!"

 

[MushyMushy]

Mr greyhound doesn't "do" treats either. Sure she'll eat a hot dog or hamburger when offered but it's like it's BENEATHE her to do a trick for one. She learned sit, stay lay down pretty easily and now will do them when asked for a good reason. If I try to make her do it for a treat now, she walks away in disgust...like "I am not your trained monkey and will not DANCE for you!"

That's so funny! You must post a picture.

See I'm having the opposite problem. I've got my youngest dog (one in the avatar) to where she'll spin in a circle for a treat. But she absolutely won't do it without that treat! It's like you said, it's beneath her to do that spin unless you make it worth her while. And I can't find anything else to convince her with except to pretend I have a treat and then reward her with praise and love instead. But you can tell she's totally disgusted with me when I trick her.

 

[Feralpeg]

I've trained several dogs without treats. I used praise. It worked very well.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Praise and play time with a favorite toy is the reward utilized by most experts. That being said, a dog savvy aquaintance of mine trained using kibble. Every day she'd measure out the kibble her dog was supposed to get for his dinner and would make him work for his supper one kibble at a time. He was the skinniest (not unhealthy, just not obese) black lab I've ever known.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Thanks everyone,

I don't doubt that it is possible, but I'm hoping there's a book out there that actually tells how to do it. The books I have all give directions that won't work with praise (like hold the treat over his head and move it back to get him to sit). The suggestions that they have for activities that don't use treat all work well.

Thanks!

 

[goofy!]

Or, alternatively, anyone got a treat that no dog can resist? My friend told me to try bits of hot dog, which I will do, but not sure what else to try.

Here is a list of recipes for different kinds of liver cookies, compiled from trainers on our showdog list.
http://www.sherob.com/info/cookbook/cb4.html

My dogs, as a breed, often don't like treats and are very hard to bait.

Except for Snuffy's Magic Liver Cookies. I have had dogs at shows try to take my pocket off my blazer trying to get at the treats.

The Bourbon Liver Cookies are also excellent. (I may be biased though as it was submitted by our breeders/mentors).

 

[Jennasis]

Since you asked:

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[Imzadi]

I trained my cat without treats. I used her food bowl at dinner time for her. I held up the bowl and let her know she wouldn't get dinner until she did the command I wanted. She had to earn dinner.

Also, if I catch her doing an action that I eventually want to be able to command her to do, I would say the command as she was doing it. Like, if I saw her sit, I would say, "Sit!" as she was doing it, and then praise her afterwards. It was kind of like, "Was it her idea to sit, or my command that made her sit?" Either way, the command became embedded like Pavlov's dog. Now, it's such an ingrained reaction, she sits automatically, without thinking, as soon as she hears the word.

 

[MushyMushy]

Jennasis, what a beauty! I love her coloring -- isn't it brindle?

 

[SandrA9810]

Anytime I want Kiani to do something like sit and stay. I have to say it sternly. Then say "Thank you Kiani" very plainly. Because if I praise her, she gets all bouncy and excited. And she knows she's doing what I want with simple thank you.

She's not a treat doggie either. There's a treat sitting on the floor that's been there a few days. And we bought two of the same thing, the first one, she wouldn't even wait till we got out of the store to chow it down. But she has no interest in this one unless i break it into nibble size peices.