Dear Critter Corner: We have started training with our new pup and are having a hard time finding treats that he likes to use in our training. He will eat them in the house but once outside it is hit or miss. Do you have any suggestions for us?
This is a great question as there are many factors at play here. First is the change in environment. You are going from a rather quiet known area to your pup, to one with many great smells, sights and probably squirrels to chase and dogs or humans to say hi to. With this change you will need to adjust the value of the reinforcement. This may mean that he will work for his kibble in the home but once outside, you will need to up it to something that is smellier like a jerky to compete with the environment.
Another thing that may be happening is that he is becoming overwhelmed or stressed with the new environment. One of the first signs that our pups are overwhelmed and about to shut down is that they stop eating. You would want to work on building his confidence in this or similar environments.
Your pup could also just not be motivated by the treats given, especially in the more distracting environment. In this scenario, you will need to find what your pup loves and save it for here. Ideas on types of reinforcement are food (soft & stinky), toys (squeaky, balls or tug) and affection or praise. Each pup is an individual and most will choose food while there are many others that are driven by toys or affection. You will need to see what is your dogs go to item. Remember that reinforcement needs to be reinforcing to the one receiving it!
If you are still having problems or would like some extra help with training your pup, you can schedule a 1:1 Consultation with one of our behaviorists or call our Behavior Helpline at ext. 183.