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Many of my trainers have suggested this - having 2 or 3 levels of treats for rewards. But my dog is a total garbage truck though - he'll eat anything with gusto (except celery). Plus, I'm not going to be able to keep track of what I'm supposed to be giving him when in one of our training sessions (especially in agility!).
So instead of a hierarchy, I just buy a mix of treats - string cheese, hot dogs, grain-free packaged treats, etc. Sometimes I'll have up to 7 or 8 kinds of treats. I stick them all in my treat pouch and just pull them out for whatever. The variety keeps him on his toes and excited about what's coming next, I think. He's a smart dog, but he doesn't really make value judgments about the treats I toss him.
I don't vary treats though if the activity calls for a particular kind of treat. Flyball, in particular, requires quick rewards, thrown precisely that are visible. And nosework, when we're pairing scents on difficult hides, requires smelly treats.
I'm curious though about dogs that aren't very motivated by food. What do you use for them? A ball or other toy? How do you reward with that? Is it harder to train a dog when they are motivated by things other than food?
I've known dogs that would work for the sheer joy of it or work for treats, but I've never really encountered or worked with a dog that is unmotivated by food (or was a picky eater). The idea is actually mind boggling to me, kinda.
I do. We have the option here of hiking with our dogs off leash. I let them roam, but I need to know they will come back if I call them. The only time they get a (tiny) piece of jerky is when they they are off the leash, but come when called.
The rest of the time they get either a Charlie Bear treat from Trader Joe's, or a Milkbone mini.
I do. We have the option here of hiking with our dogs off leash. I let them roam, but I need to know they will come back if I call them. The only time they get a (tiny) piece of jerky is when they they are off the leash, but come when called.
The rest of the time they get either a Charlie Bear treat from Trader Joe's, or a Milkbone mini.
Yeah, those Charlie Bear treats are perfect - cheap, but with decent ingredients. His recall is pretty good, but I'm working on reinforcing it now when the mailman is at the door. If I can call him back from that, I can call him back from anything
Yeah, those Charlie Bear treats are perfect - cheap, but with decent ingredients. His recall is pretty good, but I'm working on reinforcing it now when the mailman is at the door. If I can call him back from that, I can call him back from anything
Guarding the door from the mailman is very important. I trained Bella with treats. Don't have to use them now. She's 5. Just pleasing me is enough. She still gets them but just because she's such a good girl.
I guess it could be considered a hierarchy of treats. Usually Wyatt McRiot works for praise and approval. Occasionally a food treat is given for precise work. He also has to work for his dinner. Sit, down, stay, come, sometimes more than once before he is handed his food.
He also has to fetch and hand me his supper dish if he expects to be fed.
I've owned many dogs who would not work for food. For the German Shepherds, food just gets in the way of what they want, which is to learn and work closely with their handler. They would ignore treats but were very keen for praise and approval. They also got satisfaction out of learning the correct way to do something.
None of my sighthounds would ever work for food. They didn't seem to be all that motivated by praise, either. But their code of honor insisted that they comply with polite requests and they appreciated a quiet "thank you". Good manners on both sides of the equation got the job done.
Wyatt McRiot can't be trained with food. Food gets him so worked up that his brain turns off and he gets frantic. He loves to work for praise, as long as the raise isn't too enthusiastic. Enthusiastic praise sends him ballistic with joy and he goes out of control.
There is not one motivator that works for all dogs.
I guess it could be considered a hierarchy of treats. Usually Wyatt McRiot works for praise and approval. Occasionally a food treat is given for precise work. He also has to work for his dinner. Sit, down, stay, come, sometimes more than once before he is handed his food.
He also has to fetch and hand me his supper dish if he expects to be fed.
I've owned many dogs who would not work for food. For the German Shepherds, food just gets in the way of what they want, which is to learn and work closely with their handler. They would ignore treats but were very keen for praise and approval. They also got satisfaction out of learning the correct way to do something.
None of my sighthounds would ever work for food. They didn't seem to be all that motivated by praise, either. But their code of honor insisted that they comply with polite requests and they appreciated a quiet "thank you". Good manners on both sides of the equation got the job done.
Wyatt McRiot can't be trained with food. Food gets him so worked up that his brain turns off and he gets frantic. He loves to work for praise, as long as the raise isn't too enthusiastic. Enthusiastic praise sends him ballistic with joy and he goes out of control.
There is not one motivator that works for all dogs.
Yeah, I knew a young dog years ago that had to be rewarded with playtime with a younger litter of puppies. Totally indifferent to food, but if he knew if he built up enough "clicks" he'd get to go play with the little guys, he was over the moon. It was kind of disgustingly cute. I just find the more complicated reward systems problematic. My brain isn't quick enough for them. "Click/marker. Treat." is pretty much the extent of my mental coordination.
The Houla would probably work for just praise, but food really focuses him like a laser. My old border collie (almost 15) DEFINITELY worked for praise. But she's actually not that bright for a border collie (I did the "intelligence" tests to be sure). Her superpowers are (still) sweetness and adorability.
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I trained Bella with treats. Don't have to use them now. She's 5. Just pleasing me is enough. She still gets them but just because she's such a good girl. 
