Originally Posted by http://hubpages.com/profile/shibashake
Reward Dog Training - Bad 1
May not always solicit a prompt response to your commands.
For most dogs, a reward may not be as strong a motivator as an aversive stimulus (e.g. leash jerk, slap on the muzzle, alpha roll). Some dogs may dislike an aversive stimulus to such an extent that they fear it.
Fear is one of the strongest motivators for dogs and most dogs will respond more consistently and more promptly to it compared to a reward.
Consistent and prompt response to commands becomes important when your dog is involved in a life or death situation, for example when he is running into traffic.
Reward Dog Training - Bad 2
May sometimes require creativity to out-think your dog.
With reward dog training, you may need to get creative and come up with your own obedience training methods. This is especially true when you are trying to stop bad behaviors such as jumping, leash biting, or biting.
While there are many reward methods for stopping these behaviors, they may not always work with your dog. I.e. your dog may decide that the reward from the bad behavior outweighs your offered reward. As a result you may need to experiment with a variety of methods and reward systems before finding one that works well.
In contrast, fear is more universal as a strategy. The same aversive method, for example the leash jerk, can be applied to a wide variety of situations.
Reward Dog Training - Bad 3
May require that you bring along some food or toys when on walks and outings.
Remember though that dogs do not care about the monetary cost of a reward. Many dogs consider sticks, pine cones, and leaves to be quite exciting and awesome. If you find yourself in a situation where you need a quick reward, some may be readily available in the trees and bushes around you.
It is sometimes possible and very desirable to use the dogs and people you meet during walks as rewards for your dog. For example, if he doesn't jump, he gets to go up and meet the new person. Once he starts jumping move him back, do a sit, and restart the greeting.
As your dog training lessons progress, you can begin to phase out the food rewards. Be careful to phase the rewards out slowly so that your dog stays motivated.
Reward Dog Training - Bad 4
May cause your dog to gain weight.
Obesity can sometimes become a problem if you give your dog too many dog treats.
This issue can be easily resolved by using part of his regular meals as training rewards, using smaller sized treats, and switching to low calorie food and treats.
