Stop Giving Commands

Training with treats can be useful, but very often it relieves dogs from having to think. It doesn’t offer solutions to their problems—it only temporarily solves ours. Using commands and treats can make dogs overly dependent on their guardians and reduce their independence.

In problematic situations, a much better idea than giving commands and rewards is to let the dog think, give them time, and, if needed, help them find a solution on their own.

It’s always worth asking: does the behavior we’re asking of the dog make sense from their point of view, or only from ours? Does it serve their goals or just ours? When a dog has time and opportunities to think and make decisions, they become more independent, more willing to cooperate with their guardian, and over time, they grow in competence and simply become a wiser dog who handles life better.

A quick note for fellow trainers.

I don’t think training is inherently bad. Especially in urban environments, there are plenty of skills a dog needs to learn, and rewards are often the most effective way to teach them. Sometimes, training is helpful.

But I also have the chance to observe dogs in their natural environments—at home, in the yard. Dogs who face real-life problems every day. The common “treating” in these situations doesn’t help the dog cope better—it only provides a temporary fix for the guardian’s problem.

Most of the time, what I see are dogs performing commands, getting rewards, having no time to think—and still having no idea how to deal with the actual challenges they face.