I use consequences. Red light, green light. Accurately timed, consistently applied.
One must understand the difference between punishment and negative reinforcement. Punishment takes place after a "crime" has been committed, and teaches nothing, as it is not connected in the dog's mind to the unwanted action. He cannot un-chew the shoe. Negative reinforcement consists of three elements: a cue or signal, a one-second interval, and the reinforcer itself, in that sequence. Failure to use these three elements properly and accurately comprises abuse and can result in a psychological response known as "learned helplessness." Look it up, it's very destructive. Some dogs subjected to this in an experimental setting had to be humanely destroyed.
I don't use treats and I don't use a clicker. The use of a clicker in training was started by Karen Pryor, who trained dolphins. Dolphins communicate with a series of clicks; dogs do not. She had to communicate with dolphins when they were in deep water, where she could not go. Your voice, face and hands are excellent rewards for your dog, they are unique and you always have them with you, unlike a clicker which sounds the same as everyone else's and can be lost or forgotten. I'm not saying clicker training is a bad training method, just that there are better ways.
As for treats, I find them distracting. You may train a dog to respond to treats, but will he obey when your pockets are empty? What if the distraction is of greater value than the treat, or he's just not hungry? If a dog is chasing a car, horse or cat, does he really care if you have Liva-Snaps? I'm betting not.
One must understand the difference between punishment and negative reinforcement. Punishment takes place after a "crime" has been committed, and teaches nothing, as it is not connected in the dog's mind to the unwanted action. He cannot un-chew the shoe. Negative reinforcement consists of three elements: a cue or signal, a one-second interval, and the reinforcer itself, in that sequence. Failure to use these three elements properly and accurately comprises abuse and can result in a psychological response known as "learned helplessness." Look it up, it's very destructive. Some dogs subjected to this in an experimental setting had to be humanely destroyed.
I don't use treats and I don't use a clicker. The use of a clicker in training was started by Karen Pryor, who trained dolphins. Dolphins communicate with a series of clicks; dogs do not. She had to communicate with dolphins when they were in deep water, where she could not go. Your voice, face and hands are excellent rewards for your dog, they are unique and you always have them with you, unlike a clicker which sounds the same as everyone else's and can be lost or forgotten. I'm not saying clicker training is a bad training method, just that there are better ways.
As for treats, I find them distracting. You may train a dog to respond to treats, but will he obey when your pockets are empty? What if the distraction is of greater value than the treat, or he's just not hungry? If a dog is chasing a car, horse or cat, does he really care if you have Liva-Snaps? I'm betting not.
