Training Your Canine Using The Right Toys
Training your dog with toys can often be the appropriate measure, and a classic Kong toy is the choice that professional trainers make for good reason. Any dogs that suffer from obesity, fear issues, or high levels of treat anticipation can benefit from learning your expectations with toys as a reward. It is a cheaper, more effective way to reach a pup with issues and can be used for emotionally healthy canines, too.
A kong puppy toy is often recommended because it is nearly impossible to shred, tear, or chew through. Even dogs with excessively strong bites can not eat through these.
you have a great place for putting in temptations like canned food, meat, or other scrumptious rewards if your need to. Since bones can splinter and rawhides are dangerous, this is the toy of choice for leaving your favorite friend unattended.
These toys are excellent for teaching Fido how to stay home alone without fear or anxiety. Whether in a crate or on a treasure hunt, frozen canned food in the Kong toy can help him associate your absence with pleasure instead of pain. He will be pushing you out the door if this is the only time he receives such a reward. Use different filling material at other times. Be sure that a big dog does not have access to a small Kong as these can end up being a choking hazard.
If you have not been able to get the kind of motivation that you want, try building the value of the toy. Dress it up with yummy goodies, put it away when you are not teaching him, and never yell or act aggressively toward him while the session is going on.
Any kind of meat, canned food, or even peanut butter in small doses can be helpful for building up the toy’s value. Stuffing it with Kong stuffing also helps. If the effort you are putting forth does not yield a result, stuff the Kong with goodies and then allows him to have it. When he is done, pick it back up. When he is really excited about seeing you get it for him, you know it has a high value to him. Then start teaching him basics through guidance. Sit should be a guided positioning by raising the toy so he has to look up at it.
This will help him go into a sitting position naturally, at which time he gets the reward. This is also when you want to name the behavior. Telling him what a “good sit!” he just did will help him associate the act, the pleasure, and the cue. You must repeat this several times in order to make sure he has the opportunity to really understand what you are asking of him.
The steps for using a Kong Toy instead of treats for training your dog follow the very same principle as teaching him to sit. Provide him with the guidance to perform the behavior you want, and then praise the achievement while giving him the reward. When you have built the value of the reward high enough, you can add activities that he enjoys with his reward like throwing it for him to chase. You can always train with special toys like this when treats are not the best option.
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