As a handler, it's important to be mindful of your dog's early learning stages, especially when it comes to treats and rewards.

Rewards are used for many things, such as:

marking a good behaviour
luring your dog's behavior
sometimes for super work
sometimes for the "you're almost there" and the "intention" of the dog trying his best
even "Jackpot!" rewards.

This can amount to quite a bit of food - especially when starting out.

Here are some things you may want to keep in mind:

Treat Considerations

Use your dog's entire breakfast or supper portion of food for training. Whatever you don't use up in a session, use the remaining balance as the intended meal.
If you are using extra super nice food for treats, make sure that they are not super high in calories. If they are, then feed them less for breakfast or supper. It's no good if your dog starts to pack on the pounds while exercising. We would definitely be defeating the object 😊. Be sure to check the label of your dog's treats to ensure they are not overfed during your gym sessions.
Avoid using treats your dog is not used to. Upset stomachs may make training really uncomfortable for your dog and will make you really confused, wondering about your dog's lowered performance on an exercise - especially if you are working on something new.
Avoid training after meals. Try to start your conditioning always before meals. It is never comfy to work on a full stomach.
Work with smaller, easy-to-eat treats or pieces of kibble. You don't want your dog to stand and chew on that treat for a few minutes each time you reward him. Your dog should easily and quickly get his reward and be ready to start again.
Make sure your treats are "on hand", in a pouch on you such as an apron pocket. Treats should be easy to handle and readily available. You want to be able to quickly reward a few times in a row. I like to keep a few pieces of kibble in my hands at a time. Delays in reward timing can lead to confusion for your dog about what is expected of them. Reward timing is really important, especially when your dog is learning a new exercise!

Not all treats are equal for your dog. Make sure he enjoys the food or treat you are giving him and that they are healthy.

Use treats that your dog likes, watch the calorie intake and enjoy your training!

Treat Considerations

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Strength, Injury Prevention and Signs of Fatigue

Understanding Your Dog's Body

Foundations in Strength Building - mastering your basic moves

Extra: Strengthening Pasterns (wrists)

Getting Stronger!

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