[shallhb]

It is tricky. I use food a lot, but try to make it unexpected. One trainer around here says to try at first for 'threefers'--do the 3 times behavior and you get a treat on the average. it's important to go 'on the average'--some times every six times, sometimes right after the behavior. I try to use enthusiastic petting and words right before the food, so that the hounds connect the two, and know the words signal food, sometime, if not immediately. But it's tricky. These guys are smart. They want the real stuff. On the other hand, unless you are going to be competing in dog performance sports where no food is allowed, it doesn't seem like that big a problem. After all, most working dogs (drug sniffing, etc) get food for a reward on the job, so why shouldn't the average hound get a bite for behaving.

[ March 04, 2006, 12:31 AM: Message edited by: S. Hall ]