Dog Agility: Starting a New Dog

For the first time in a long time, I am starting a new agility dog. My new dog is the son of my current dog, who will be turning 11 in December. Like Beau, Rider seems to be turned on to agility, but I'm kind of out of practice with starting a new dog on equipment. I have one trainer that says that absolutely no treats must touch the surface of any equipment, as it will "scent" the equipment. However, in the old days, when I was starting Beau, we used to put little treats on equipment to lure new dogs across the dog walk or the seesaw/teeter so that they would not be afraid. I have a second trainer who says the latter way is the "right" way, but I suspect that she's kind of old-fashioned, like me. What do you do to train your new dogs or what do you consider the "right" way of doing it?

 

I never used treats in training any of my dogs. They should be motivated by praise and not food. I have three dogs. They all tried agility (only one competed in it though - the other two enjoyed it but were just too slow and clumsy )

I can take all three of them for a walk together without using any leashes and confidently know they will not leave my side if other dogs come around or a cat walks by. They simply wouldn't break from their heeling without permission. I never used treats in training them. I believe they should do what you want for the sake of doing it and pleasing you.

A simple pat on the head and a 'good dog' doesn't really cut it though. PRAISE them up when they do it right. Over exaggerate how excited you are. Act like you just won the lottery and what they did was the best thing in the world.

 

Well, that's not exactly what I'm asking, but it's good advice anyway.

 

What are you asking then?

You were talking about whether or not to use treats treats in agility training and you asked, "What do you do to train your new dogs or what do you consider the "right" way of doing it?"

I don't use treats, and I don't think it is the right way to do it (which was my reply). Also dogs are very smell oriented. If you put treats on the equipment, they will be able to smell them and that can be distracting. If you ever do competing, you will not be allowed to put treats on the course so why train them in a way that will be inconsistent with how they will actually be doing it.

 

I think the idea of using praise is more workable. Dogs do respond to changes in the master's tone. At least, I know mine do. I just have to raise my voice a bit and they know that they are doing something wrong.

 

My dog loves to wag his tail whenever I cheer him with clap and the way I praise him. I conditioned my dog that he can only eat foods during meal times.

 

My question had nothing to do with using treats or using praise. Praise, treats, and toys are all part of agility training. My question was about getting people's opinions on the issue of "scenting" agility equipment by putting treats directly upon it. Using treats to train any behavior, whether agility or not, is pretty standard in pure positive/behavioral training methods. You just have to fade the treat use in agility the same way that you would fade it in any other training--or change the reward from treat to toy or praise. There is an article in Clean Run magazine this month about doing that very thing.

Thanks to everyone who answered, though--it was nice to see that people here are given to treating or praising their dogs for good behavior and are less likely to focus solely on punishing their dogs for "bad" behavior during training.