While training your dog with food, bait has the positives that you want.  There are also cons that you must be aware of because they are a direct result of your habits, such as sloppy rewarding, mindless feeding, begging and littering of food creating unsanitary conditions for the handler and spotty training results.

1. Never bait feed your dog while you eat or prepare a meal. Use your control instead.   Wash your hands after baiting your dog and before eating or touching your face/mouth.

2. Never bait feed when your training exercise is finished and you plan to return to your dog and go onto the next training exercise or day task. The act of going on to the next…is the reward.

3. If you are training a high energy or easily excitable dog, a calm “in task” bait feed is always desired. This type of dog does not require voice paired with bait.

4. If you want to “voice reward” your dog and keep him on task, use your personal word or phrase and do not pair it with bait. This voice reward is social communication and stands alone.

5. Remember reward levels and choices are this: physical touch, duration of the touch, dog to handler eye contact, relaxation techniques, voice word or phrase, voice word paired with bait, voice word paired with touch, adding and taking away reward, bait in quantity of 4-6 pieces, bait in the quantity of 1 cup is more filling and rewarding for example. Choice one option for positive reward. 

6. Know when to bait reward prey model training technique vs social model techniques. Tip if your reward causes your dog to abandon tasks or exercises, you might not have chosen correctly.

7. Do not throw bait at your dog. It causes them to react with a higher degree of excitement and predatory behavior.   Walk over to your dog and directly address and feed from your hand or reward bowl.

8. When rewarding obedience and social tasks do not use excitement or excessive bait. Less is best but timed precise.  You will create a mindless dog that now sees you as a food dispenser rather than a leader.

9. Remember not to pair negatives with positives. If your dog needs a negative give him one.  Withhold the positive.

Read more: What is Prey Model Training>

Prey Model Training: Young Service Dogs>