Question:  Why should I use treats to train my dog?  They should do what I tell them because “I’m the boss”. 

Answer:  Did that make sense to you when you were a child?  Would you go to work now if they didn’t give you a paycheck?  Food is one of the top motivators and reward for dogs.  Dogs don’t do anything that doesn’t “work” or have a pay off.  We might not see it as a pay off but the dog does.  If a behavior or action doesn’t “work” for the dog they won’t continue to offer the behavior.  If you want to change a behavior-especially one that has been happening for a while-you have to stop making the unwanted behavior “work” and make a new behavior worth their while-pay them with food.  

Question:  I don’t want a dog that only listens when I have cookies.

Answer:  We use food and treats in the beginning of training and whenever we are training a new behavior.   Eventually we will get to the point that we can decrease the frequency of the treats.  We NEVER get rid of the treats altogether-that’s like living in a world without dessert.  But, we will change it up and reward intermittently so the dog never knows if today is the day he will get paid.  This makes a behavior incredibly resiliant.  
Critics say that positive dog training “bribes” dogs into behaving or that we’re too permissive or wishy-washy with our dogs. That isn’t the case.  People who use reward-based dog training can set all kinds of rules for dogs to follow.  Just a few examples:
Get off the furniture when I ask (or don’t get on at all if that’s your preference)
Sit to come inside or go outside
Do not run out the front door when it is open
Do not eat my dinner off the table or eat food dropped on the floor  
Only calm dogs with all four feet on the floor get attention
Do not pull me down the street when we are out for a walk
The difference between positive reinforcement training and old-school, punishment-based training lies in our method and motivation. When dogs get it “wrong,” we don’t punish them. We simply don’t reward them. And, if it’s a really annoying thing, like attention-seeking behaviors (pawing at us, trying to crawl in our laps), we get up and leave the room or give a dog version of “time out.”  When dogs learn that good behavior earns our attention, then withdrawing that attention in a non-confrontational, non-emotional way is a very powerful learning tool.  Sometime dogs need a bit more help to succeed. So rather than force dogs into situations where they cannot behave or make the right decision (a method called “flooding”), we adjust the environment and our expectations until they can. Then, we reward them for their effort.  

Studies show that dogs trained in a positive manner are smarter and better problem solvers because they are not afraid to try something new-because it really doesn’t hurt to try.