How To Use Toys As A Reward In Dog Training?

Pet lovers know that dogs and other animals can share a connection with humans. That’s the reason why yoga with pets is getting so popular.

But how can you train your dogs to do tricks or follow instructions? Some people use CBD for dog training, while others use traditional methods like giving food or toys as rewards. To find shops that carry treats and things for your pet, you can check areaguides.net.

These training methods have the same way of achieving things: positive reinforcement.

5 Effective Ways To Reward Your Dog With Toys

Master The “Drop It” Command

Before starting any training, be sure that your dog understands the “drop it” command. Because if they don’t, then they could just ignore you and run away to play with their reward once you give it to them.

“Drop it” can be an easy command to teach. For this starter, you can use food as a reward for getting it right, instead of toys.

Figure Out The Best Toy Reward

In choosing the right toy reward, do it from your dog’s perspective.

You might already know that different dogs respond to different toys in different ways. A toy that works with one dog might seem uninteresting to another.

What’s the use of rewarding your dog with a toy that it doesn’t find interesting? It just wouldn’t work, and you won’t be reinforcing anything with that item.

So, it’s best to figure out the best toy reward that will work for the particular dog you’re planning to train. If you’re training two or more dogs, it’s a good idea to make a list of toys they might like, based on their favorites.

But you don’t have to stick to one kind of toy, of course. When doing training, you can use a variety of toys and check which ones your dog had the most fun with – tug toys, soft toys, balls, squeaky toys, etc.

Maintain The Toy’s Value

If you notice that your dog favors one of the toys you offer, keep its value by setting it aside only for training purposes. If it’s a reward or treat that they don’t often get, then the toy continues to be valuable to your pet.

For added interest, you can keep several high-value toy rewards and randomly use them so your dog will keep on guessing what treat it might get next time.

Be Consistent

Being consistent sends the right message across. It will also make training easier for you and your dog.

If you aren’t consistent, your dog can be confused over what they should or shouldn’t do and which action or behavior gets the treat.

Create A Signal Before Rewarding

Of course, your dog should understand why they’re being rewarded. It will depend on your training method, but you can use clicks or verbal signals when they get the task right, then reward them.

Timing is also crucial. Give the reward immediately after they did something correctly, or they won’t understand even if you give them cues or signals.

Top 3 Reasons To Reward Your Dog With Toys

Easier And Cost-Effective

Many pet owners use food as a reward for training. Although there’s nothing wrong with that, of course, using toys can be easier and more cost-effective.

After all, the toy isn’t perishable and can be used multiple times compared to the food reward. Also, it won’t be easy always to bring food around, especially if you’re training multiple dogs at the same time or going to a different place for the training session.

Toys can reduce the need for food rewards.

Playing Relieves Stress

Dogs are like people, too. They can feel stressed out, especially when training is difficult. But like us, they also respond well to things that make them happy.

For most dogs, toys and play mean fun. So, rewarding them with a toy can help relieve stress.

However, it’s best to stop for a while when your dog is stressed out during a difficult training session.

Your dog’s feelings are just as important as what they’re doing right in training. Don’t train them to do something right because they fear getting reprimanded (or hurt) if they make a mistake. Positive reinforcement remains one of the most effective and humane ways of training your dog.

Playing Builds Drive

Some dog breeds, such as Belgian Malinois or Border Collies, are high-drive breeds. They have a lot of energy and are always ready for movement and fun. Toys encourage playing and continue to build up this drive as an exciting motivation for training.

What To Do If Your Dog Isn’t Interested In Toys

Not all dogs love toys, but because toys remain among the most cost-effective training rewards, you can also begin by training them to enjoy toys.

You can start with rewarding them with food or something they enjoy if they play with a toy.

Dogs love interaction so use the toys to play with them. That’s one way of showing them the toy’s value and that it can be a fun thing for them to play with.