Positive Reinforcement Isn’t Just About Treats: What Your Dog’s Training Is Really Built On

Hot take: treats are not the answer for every behavior.

Before you get worried—I love treats.

I use food a lot in dog training. It’s an incredibly valuable tool, and there are many situations where food is exactly what I want to use.

But I don’t use treats for everything.

And I think there’s an important conversation to be had about how we understand positive reinforcement.

Is positive reinforcement just giving treats?

Somehow, positive reinforcement has become almost synonymous with carrying a treat pouch, giving your dog a cookie, and repeating the process all day long.

And while food can absolutely be used as positive reinforcement, positive reinforcement is not a synonym for treats.

It’s much bigger than that.

Positive reinforcement is about consequences that make a behavior more likely to happen again. Food is one possible reinforcer—but it’s certainly not the only one.

Dogs can find all kinds of things reinforcing.

Access to something they want.
Going outside.
Sniffing.
Playing.
Moving.
Getting attention from you.
Being released to explore.
Getting closer to something interesting.
Having a choice to move away from something that is scary.
And sometimes, simply continuing to do something they enjoy.

The key is understanding your individual dog and what actually matters to them in a particular situation.

But there’s another piece I think we overlook

When we talk about training, we tend to focus heavily on the behavior.

How do I teach my dog to sit?
How do I stop pulling?
How do I get my dog to listen around distractions?
What treat should I use?

Those things matter.

But there is another question I think we should be asking:

What is the relationship underneath all of this?

How do you interact with your dog when you aren't training?

Do you listen to them?

Do you understand their communication?

Do you give them opportunities to make choices?

Do you trust them?

Do they trust you?

Does your dog feel safe coming to you when they're overwhelmed?

Do you have a history of working together and successfully navigating things as a team?

Because these things matter.

A lot.

Your foundations matter more

Imagine you’re out on a walk and suddenly realize:

You forgot the treats at home.

If your immediate thought is, “Well, I guess we can’t train today,” I would take that as an opportunity to look at the bigger picture.

Not because treats are bad.

But because I want you to have more tools available to you.

If your foundations are strong, you can adapt.

You can use the environment.

You can use movement.

You can play.

You can give your dog access to something they want.

You can change the situation.

You can create distance.

You can allow them to sniff.

You can use your relationship and your communication.

And sometimes, you can simply decide that today isn't a training session.

Food should be a tool—not a crutch

There is a big difference between:

“I’m using food strategically because it’s valuable to my dog right now.”

and

“My dog won't do anything unless I have food.”

The first is thoughtful training.

The second might be a sign that we need to zoom out and look at the bigger picture.

This doesn't mean you should suddenly stop using treats.

In fact, please don't take this as an argument for removing food from your training.

There are plenty of situations where I want a really high-value reinforcer. There are behaviors that I absolutely want to build with food. And there are dogs and situations where food is incredibly important.

The point isn't to use fewer treats.

The point is to have more options.

Your dog is more than a behavior

I want you to understand your dog.

I want you to recognize what they need.

I want you to notice when they're struggling before the behavior falls apart.

I want you to know what motivates them.

I want you to have a relationship where you can communicate with each other.

And yes—sometimes that communication is going to involve a piece of chicken.

That's completely fine.

The chicken isn't the problem.

The problem is when we forget that there is an entire relationship underneath the training.

Build the foundation

When the foundations are strong, training becomes much more flexible.

You don't have to rely on one specific tool.

You don't have to panic when you forget your treats.

You don't have to turn every interaction into a training session.

And you don't have to constantly ask yourself:

“How do I make my dog do this?”

Instead, you can start asking:

“What does my dog need from me right now?”

That shift changes a lot.

So yes, bring the treats. Use them. Enjoy them.Reward generously.

But don't forget to build everything underneath them, too.

Treats are a tool.
They are not the foundation.

The foundation is your relationship, your communication, your dog's ability to navigate the world, and the trust you've built together.

And when those foundations are strong, you have so much more than a treat pouch in your toolbox.

When I work with new clients, I put a lot of focus on doing exactly that: growing a strong foundation of mutual understanding and trust that everything else is built upon.

If you are looking to dive deeper into this topic, schedule a call to apply for 1:1 training or behavior consulting with me.

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