Updated August 2026

A training reward is anything your dog values enough to make a behaviour more likely to happen again.

Food is often useful because it is quick, convenient and easy to deliver at the right moment. It is not the only option. Play, sniffing, moving away from something worrying, praise, calm attention and access to an enjoyable activity can all be effective rewards.

The important question is not what you think your dog should enjoy. It is what your dog genuinely wants at that moment.

In this guide, I explain how to choose suitable rewards, use food without bribing or overfeeding, improve your timing and recognise when the situation has become too difficult for your dog.

Some links in this guide are affiliate links. If you buy through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I believe are genuinely useful and consistent with my calm, reward-based approach.

Summary

A reward can be food, play, attention, sniffing, distance or access to something your dog enjoys.
The reward must matter to your dog and should match the difficulty of the situation.
Mark the behaviour clearly, then deliver the reward promptly.
A dog refusing food may be worried, distracted, full, uncomfortable or uninterested in that particular reward.
Food rewards should be small, safe and included within your dog’s overall daily diet.

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What is a reward in dog training?

A reward is something that makes your dog more likely to repeat a behaviour.

Your dog looks back at you during a walk. You say “yes” and give them a small piece of suitable food. If they begin checking in with you more often, the food has reinforced that behaviour.

The same principle can work without food.

Your dog walks beside you on a loose lead for a few steps. You tell them they can go and sniff a tree. Sniffing has become the reward for walking with a loose lead.

Your dog keeps four paws on the floor when greeting somebody. They are then allowed to say hello. The greeting may be the reward, provided your dog and the person are both comfortable.

A nervous dog chooses to move away from something worrying. You increase the distance. Relief and space may be more rewarding than chicken or praise.

The Dogs Trust guide to positive reinforcement training explains that rewards can include food, toys, attention and access to activities a dog enjoys.

Why I use reward-based methods

Reward-based training concentrates on showing your dog what you would like them to do.

It does not mean letting your dog do whatever they want. Dogs still need safe boundaries, clear routines and consistent guidance. Those boundaries can be taught without deliberately causing fear, pain or discomfort.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour statement on humane dog training recommends reward-based methods and advises against techniques that rely on force, pain, intimidation or emotional discomfort.

My approach is calm and reward-based. I do not use shock collars, prong collars, choke chains, rattle bottles, lead jerks or methods intended to frighten a dog into complying.

Reward-based training is not about being soft. It is about teaching clearly, managing the environment and making the behaviour you want worthwhile for your dog.

Find out what your dog actually values

Dogs do not all value the same things.

One dog may work enthusiastically for part of their normal meal. Another may ignore kibble outdoors but respond to tiny pieces of a softer, smellier treat. Another may prefer a toy, permission to sniff or the chance to move away from a busy path.

Preferences can also change according to the situation.

A piece of food that works in your kitchen may be irrelevant beside squirrels, traffic or another dog. A toy that creates useful engagement in the garden may produce too much excitement on a narrow pavement.

Watch what your dog chooses rather than relying on a fixed list of supposedly high-value rewards.

A reward is only a reward if your dog values it.

Create a simple reward menu for your dog.

It can help to write down the things your dog enjoys and divide them into different types of reward.

You then have more options when food is unsuitable, your dog loses interest,t or the environment changes.

Everyday food rewards

Everyday food rewards might include:

Part of your dog’s normal meal
Small commercial training treats
Tiny pieces of a suitable single-ingredient treat
Veterinary-approved food for a dog with dietary restrictions

Your dog’s normal food can work well when practising an established behaviour in a quiet environment.

You do not always need to offer chicken or another rich food for something your dog already finds easy.

Higher-value food rewards

A more appealing food reward can be useful when the task or environment is more difficult.

For some dogs, this might mean small pieces of plain cooked chicken. Others prefer fish, cheese or a soft commercial dog treat.

I sometimes use Nature’s Menu Meaty Treats because they can be broken into smaller training-sized pieces. They will not suit every dog, so always check the ingredients and consider your dog’s diet, allergies and medical needs.

High-value does not mean large.

Several tiny pieces delivered individually may feel like a generous reward without adding the calories of one large treat. Smaller pieces are also quicker for your dog to eat, allowing the training to continue without a long pause.

Sprats are another favourite with most clients

Play and toys

Some dogs value a short game more than food.

Possible play rewards include:

A brief game of tug
Chasing an appropriate toy
Carrying a favourite toy
Searching for a hidden toy
A short interactive game with you

For dogs that enjoy tug, a toy that is kept away between training sessions can be particularly valuable. The Tug-E-Nuff Pocket Magnet is compact enough to carry on many walks and can provide a brief, interactive reward.

Keep play short and controlled. Stop before your dog becomes frantic, starts grabbing clothing or struggles to disengage.

Tug is not suitable for every dog. Dogs that guard toys, become overexcited or struggle to release objects may need a different reward while those issues are addressed safely.

You can find more practical ideas in my guide to game-based dog training.

Combining food and play

Some dogs enjoy food but have little interest in ordinary toys.

A food-containing toy can help bridge the gap between eating and interactive play. The Tug-E-Nuff Clam treat toy can be filled with a small reward, hidden, carried or used as part of a search game.

Introduce any new toy slowly. Help your dog understand how it works and supervise its use.

A training toy should create a successful interaction, not leave your dog frustrated or confused.

Sniffing and exploration

Sniffing is one of the most useful everyday rewards available during a walk.

You might ask for three or four loose-lead steps and then say, “Go and sniff.” Your dog learns that staying connected with you does not mean losing every opportunity to explore.

This can be particularly effective during calm, local walks where the aim is not to march continuously or cover the greatest possible distance.

Sniffing can also help some dogs slow down after an exciting moment. It gives them something natural and purposeful to do.

My guide to dog walk enrichment ideas includes more ways to make an ordinary walk interesting without turning it into a constant obedience session.

Attention and affection

Some dogs enjoy praise, calm attention or gentle contact.

Do not assume every dog wants to be stroked as a reward. A nervous, tired or sensitive dog may prefer space. Watch their body language and allow them to move away.

Praise can support another reward, but praise alone may not be valuable enough when your dog is learning something difficult.

The tone of your voice can also affect your dog. An excitable “good dog” may be useful during energetic play but unhelpful when you are trying to reward calm settling.

Match your delivery to the behaviour you are rewarding.

Distance and relief

For nervous or reactive dogs, moving away can be highly rewarding.

If your dog is worried by another dog, person, vehicle or noise, do not use food to lure them closer than they can comfortably manage. Increasing distance may be the safest and most useful response.

Your dog may then be able to take food, sniff or respond to you once they feel safer.

My rescue dog support in Finchley is built around space, predictable routines and manageable experiences rather than forcing dogs through situations.

Match the reward to the difficulty.

Training in a quiet room is very different from training beside a busy road or in a woodland full of interesting smells.

As the environment becomes more difficult, you may need to:

Use something your dog values more
Move farther away from distractions
Ask for an easier behaviour
Reward more frequently
Keep the session shorter
Allow time for sniffing and recovery

A better treat cannot always compensate for an environment that is too difficult.

If your dog cannot respond, cannot take food or is constantly scanning the surroundings, reduce the difficulty. Create more distance or move somewhere quieter.

Training should provide achievable opportunities to learn. It should not become a test your dog is repeatedly expected to fail.

Mark the behaviour clearly.y

A marker tells your dog exactly which moment earned the reward.

You can use:

A clicker
A short word such as “yes”
Another consistent sound your dog has learned

The marker should happen as the desired behaviour occurs. The reward follows promptly afterwards.

For example:

Your dog looks at you.
You say “yes”.
You reach into your treat pouch.
You deliver the reward.

The order matters.

Reaching for food before your dog does anything may turn the treat into a lure. Waiting several seconds after the behaviour may make it unclear what you are rewarding.

A marker acts like a promise. Once you mark the behaviour, follow it with the expected reward.

A simple dog-training clicker can be useful if you prefer a consistent mechanical sound rather than a spoken marker.

A clicker is not essential. A clear, consistently used word can work well too.

Make rewards easy to reach

Good timing becomes difficult if you have to search through several zipped pockets every time your dog does something useful.

I use a treat pouch on most walks so I can reward calmly and promptly. An easy-clean silicone treat pouch is particularly practical when using soft or slightly messy food.

Look for a pouch that:

Opens easily with one hand
Can be cleaned thoroughly
Has a secure attachment
Does not spill when you bend down
Is large enough for the amount of food you need
Allows you to separate everyday and higher-value rewards

You do not need a special pouch if your pockets already work well. The purpose is to improve timing, not to collect more equipment.

You can also see the equipment I regularly use in my dog products and equipment recommendations.

Is using food bribery?

Using food is not bribery when the sequence is clear.

Bribery often looks like this:

Your dog ignores you.
You show them the food.
Your dog responds after seeing it.

Reward-based teaching should gradually look like this:

You give a familiar cue.
Your dog responds.
You mark the behaviour.
The reward appears.

Food may be used as a lure when first teaching certain behaviours. A lure guides your dog into a position by encouraging them to follow the food.

The lure should then be faded so your dog learns to respond to the cue rather than waiting for food to appear in front of their nose.

Keep rewards available but normally out of sight until your dog has performed the behaviour.

I sometimes describe it as you go to work for money…well

Should you stop giving treats?

You do not need to reward every familiar behaviour with food forever.

Once a behaviour is well established, you can begin mixing food with other suitable rewards, including:

Praise
Permission to sniff
Continuing the walk
Access to the garden
A toy
Calm attention
A short play session

Do not remove reinforcement too quickly.

Behaviours that are difficult, important or performed around strong distractions may still deserve particularly good rewards.

Recall is one example. Returning to you instead of following an interesting smell is a valuable decision.

Recall should not always mean the end of freedom either. Where it is safe and appropriate, reward your dog, briefly hold their harness or collar, then sometimes release them to continue sniffing.

This helps prevent your recall cue becoming a reliable announcement that all the fun is over.

What if your dog is not interested in food?

Not every dog is strongly motivated by food in every situation.

Your dog may refuse food because:

The food is not particularly appealing
They have recently eaten
They are distracted
They are too excited
They are worried or overwhelmed
The environment is too difficult
They feel nauseous or uncomfortable
They have dental pain
Their appetite has changed

Do not assume they are being stubborn.

Move somewhere quieter and offer an easier task. Try a different safe reward or use something non-food related that your dog values.

I do not recommend withholding normal meals to make a dog hungry enough to work. Part of a normal meal can be used for training when appropriate, but your dog should continue receiving a complete and suitable daily diet.

A sudden or unexplained loss of appetite should be discussed with your vet, particularly when accompanied by changes in energy, behaviour, drinking, toileting or movement.

How to use food without overfeeding

Training can involve many repetitions, so small pieces matter.

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association guidance on feeding treats advises that treats should make up less than 10 per cent of a dog’s daily calorie intake.

Practical ways to manage this include:

Using part of your dog’s normal daily food allowance
Breaking suitable treats into very small pieces
Keeping track when several people reward the same dog
Reducing unnecessary snacks
Checking calorie information where it is available
Asking your vet for guidance if your dog is overweight

Treats should complement a complete diet rather than replace it.

Dogs following a prescription diet or living with allergies, pancreatitis, diabetes, digestive problems or another medical condition may need specially approved rewards.

Speak to your veterinary team before introducing unfamiliar food if your dog has a medical or dietary restriction.

You can read more in my guide to choosing suitable dog treats.

Deliver food safely

Training food should normally be:

Small enough to eat quickly
Appropriate for your dog’s size
Soft enough for the individual dog
Safe for their health and diet
Easy to handle
Unlikely to create a choking risk

Avoid throwing hard food directly towards a dog that cannot catch safely.

Supervise games involving scattered food, particularly in multi-dog homes or where guarding may be a concern.

Never use food containing ingredients known to be toxic to dogs. These include chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts and products containing xylitol.

Check the ingredients of unfamiliar products rather than assuming that something intended for people is safe for your dog.

Reward the small moments.

Owners often wait for a complete behaviour before rewarding.

It can be more effective to notice the smaller steps leading towards it.

During a walk, I may reward:

Looking back at me
Moving with a loose lead for a few steps
Pausing before leaving the house
Turning away from a distraction
Sniffing calmly after something surprising
Choosing not to approach another dog
Standing quietly while equipment is checked
Recovering after a sudden noise

These moments may not look dramatic. They are often where useful learning happens.

Rewarding small improvements also prevents training from becoming an endless series of corrections.

Practical examples of using rewards

Loose-lead walking

Your dog takes several steps without tightening the lead.

Mark the loose lead and give a small reward. You might then allow your dog to stop and sniff as an additional real-life reward.

Do not expect perfect heelwork throughout an ordinary walk. A relaxed lead and a dog that can move, sniff and remain connected with you is usually a more practical aim.

Checking in with you

Your dog looks back at you without being called.

Mark and reward the check-in.

This helps your dog learn that noticing you during a walk is worthwhile. It can be especially useful before your dog becomes fully focused on another dog, person or smell.

Recall

Call your dog once in a safe and suitable situation.

Mark the moment they reach you and reward generously. Avoid immediately doing something unpleasant or ending every enjoyable activity.

Use a secure long line where your dog cannot safely be allowed off lead.

Calm behaviour near a distraction

Your dog notices something but remains able to think and respond.

Reward the calm choice or move farther away.

Do not deliberately take your dog closer to test whether they can cope. Successful training usually comes from working at a distance where your dog can still learn.

Keeping four paws on the floor

Your dog remains on the ground when somebody approaches.

The person may greet your dog, provided the interaction is safe and welcomed by everyone involved. Access to the person becomes the reward.

If your dog jumps up, avoid repeatedly rewarding the jumping with attention.

Settling calmly

Your dog lies down while you are sitting at home, visiting a quiet café or speaking to someone during a walk.

Place a small reward calmly between their paws.

Delivering the food low and quietly is more likely to support settling than waving it above their head and asking them to sit up again.

Common mistakes with dog training rewards

Rewarding too late

Your dog may associate the reward with whatever they are doing when it arrives rather than the behaviour you intended.

Use a marker and deliver the reward promptly.

Showing food before every cue

Your dog may begin waiting to see the food before responding.

Keep it out of sight until after the behaviour wherever practical.

Repeating the cue

Repeating “sit, sit, sit” can teach your dog that the first word does not matter.

Give the cue once. If your dog cannot respond, make the task easier or consider whether they fully understand what the cue means.

Making the environment too difficult

A busy park is not the best place to introduce a new skill.

Practise at home, then gradually add distance, movement and distractions.

Training for too long

Several short sessions are often more useful than one long session.

Finish while your dog can still think and engage.

Assuming excitement means learning

A dog that is spinning, barking or grabbing at your hands may be too excited to learn clearly.

Slow down, change how you deliver the reward and consider whether a calmer reward would suit them better.

Using food to lure a worried dog closer

Food should not be used to persuade a frightened dog to approach something they are trying to avoid.

Give the dog more distance and allow them to make safe choices.

Only noticing mistakes

Dogs need clear information about what is working.

Reward calm behaviour, good choices and small improvements rather than waiting until something goes wrong.

How I use rewards during one-to-one walks

I have worked professionally with dogs since 2011. Rewards form part of my everyday walking approach, but every dog requires something slightly different.

During one-to-one walks around Finchley, East Finchley and Muswell Hill, one dog may value time to investigate a smell. Another may prefer a short toy game. A nervous dog may find moving away from a busy path far more rewarding than any food I could offer.

I use rewards to support:

Calm attention
Loose-lead moments
Checking in
Turning away from distractions
Confidence in quieter places
Agreed cues and household routines
Calm starts and finishes
Recovery after exciting or worrying moments

I do not expect a dog to perform constantly throughout a walk.

Dogs also need time to sniff, move naturally and enjoy being outside.

My one-to-one working and training walks can reinforce suitable everyday skills and routines. They are not a replacement for formal training lessons, veterinary advice or a clinical behaviour programme.

When professional help may be needed

Speak to your vet if your dog:

Suddenly stops taking food
Shows a marked change in behaviour
Appears painful or uncomfortable
Becomes unusually tired
Develops digestive problems
Shows escalating aggression
Experiences severe fear or panic

Pain and illness can affect learning, appetite and behaviour.

For persistent training difficulties, serious fear, guarding, aggression or separation-related distress, seek help from an appropriately qualified reward-based professional.

The Animal Behaviour and Training Council practitioner register can help you look for practitioners who have been assessed against relevant professional standards.

How to train your dog using games
How to choose suitable dog treats
A balanced weekly enrichment routine for dogs
Dog walk enrichment ideas
Bringing a puppy home
Rescue dog support in Finchley
One-to-one working and training walks
Dog and cat care guides

Frequently asked questions about dog training rewards

What is the best reward for dog training?

The best reward is something your dog values in that particular situation.

It may be food, play, sniffing, attention, distance or access to an enjoyable activity. Test different options and watch how your dog responds.

Should I give my dog a treat every time?

Frequent rewards help when teaching a new behaviour.

Once the behaviour is reliable, you can gradually mix food with praise and suitable real-life rewards. Important or difficult behaviours may continue to deserve particularly valuable rewards.

Is my dog only responding because I have food?

Your dog is responding because the behaviour has a worthwhile outcome. That is how learning works.

Keep food out of sight until after the behaviour so it becomes a reward rather than something your dog must see before responding.

Why will my dog take food at home but not outside?

The outside environment may be more distracting or worrying.

Your dog may also be overexcited or uninterested in the food you are offering. Move somewhere quieter, increase the distance from distractions and make the task easier.

Can praise be enough?

Praise is rewarding for some dogs, particularly when the behaviour is familiar, and the environment is easy.

Other dogs need food, play or access to something they value more. Your dog decides whether praise is sufficiently rewarding.

How do I stop my dog grabbing treats?

Deliver the food calmly and avoid holding it between fingertips directly in front of your dog’s mouth.

You can offer the food from a flat palm where appropriate or place it on the ground. Reward gentler taking and avoid repeatedly snatching your hand away, which may turn delivery into an exciting chasing game.

Does reward-based training mean there are no rules?

No.

Reward-based training still includes boundaries, routines, safety and clear expectations. The difference is that your dog is taught what to do without relying on fear, pain or intimidation.

Can I use rewards with a nervous or rescue dog?

Yes, but the reward must suit the dog.

Some nervous dogs will not take food until they feel safer. Distance, choice, sniffing and predictable routines may be more useful initially.

Never use food to lure a frightened dog closer to something they are trying to avoid.

Can I use a toy instead of food?

Yes, provided your dog values the toy and can play without becoming overwhelmed.

Keep the game brief and choose a toy that suits your dog’s size, play style and behaviour around possessions.

How many treats can I give during training?

There is no single number that suits every dog because treats vary in size and calories.

Keep the pieces very small and include them within your dog’s total daily food intake. Treats should generally account for less than 10 per cent of daily calories.

Ask your vet for individual guidance if your dog is overweight or has a medical condition.

Reward the behaviour you would like to see again

Good use of rewards is not about endlessly handing out treats.

It is about communicating clearly.

Notice the useful moments. Mark them accurately. Choose something your dog genuinely values. Reduce the difficulty when they are struggling.

The more clearly you show your dog what works, the less time you need to spend reacting to what has gone wrong.

For calm, one-to-one walking support in Finchley and Muswell Hill, read about my working and training walks or contact me to discuss your dog.

Veterinary disclaimer: This guide provides general information about dog training rewards. It does not replace veterinary, nutritional or behavioural advice. Speak to your vet if your dog’s appetite or behaviour changes, or if your dog has a medical condition, food allergy or prescribed diet.