When can I stop using food?

As a dog trainer I get asked this question all the time.  People are more than happy to use food to start teaching behaviors but they quickly start asking when they can stop using it. 

They don’t want to have to worry about carrying a treat pouch on them all the time. They feel like the dog should do it just because they asked. They feel like the food is a bribe. 

My usual question for them is: when are you going to stop asking for a paycheck for your job? Sure you may love your job, and you might even do it for a bit without pay. But at some point, most of us will ask, why am I doing this. What is in it for me?

Of course there are times when people are happy to work without pay. Volunteering is a thing. Their “pay” IS the work. But people get to choose what they volunteer for. They choose to do something that makes them feel good. People don't usually volunteer for something they don't enjoy unless they are getting paid in some way, shape, or form.

We ask our dogs every day to do things that make absolutely no sense to them and they usually don’t get a say in what or when we ask things of them. Dogs live in a human world and that means they need to do things against their nature because they need to fit into our world. But we can’t communicate that to them, they don’t understand why we ask them to do these random behaviors. 

Can you get your dog to work without pay? Or very little pay? Sure. We can apply pressure to make sure the dog follows through. But that is going to get you a dog that does the work because they “have to” not because they “want to”. You’ll see them go through the motions without joy or enthusiasm. Their responses will be lack luster and they will always be looking for a chance to get out of work. 

That kind of work is unacceptable to me. It makes me sad to see dogs working without joy or enthusiasm. So I make sure that any dog I teach feels that the work they do is worthwhile. I want to see their excitement and their willingness to work together with me. If that means I have to give them food here and there or play a game of tug or give a ton of affection, then so be it. I will do whatever it takes to make sure my partner is excited to do the work I am asking them to do. 

This doesn't mean I will forever use as much food as I do when I’m teaching new things. As the dog gets better I can space out the rewards more. But I never completely stop paying my dog for doing what I ask. If I did you would probably still see some joy and enthusiasm for a bit, but over time it will slowly lessen until you get that flat, lackluster dog who only works because they are made to. 

So the answer to when you can stop “paying” your dog is never. Never stop showing your dog you appreciate the work they do for you. Never stop showing your dog listening to you is worth their while.