Too Busy to Train? Try "Real-Life" Rewards 

Adapted from article by Laurie Luck, CPDT

Do you find that it’s difficult to make time for dog training?  Trainers say we only need 10 minutes a day for practice but in our hectic lives even that can seem impossible.  Real-Life Rewards might be the solution.

Real-Life Rewards is taking advantage of things that happen during a normal day that can also serve as a reward for good dog behavior. Example, your dog gets a meal at least once a day, right? A smart trainer will use that meal as a reward. Ask your dog to sitting & staying. Place his bowl on the floor and release him to eat with "OK". Using dinner as a reward is called a real life reward – it’s something that your dog likes that occurs during the course of a normal day. As a smart dog owner, you can use these to your advantage in your daily interactions with your dog.

Real-Life rewards have a number of time saving benefits and are really convenient. First, you don’t have to carry around treats or leashes and there’s no extra work involved for you. Another advantage of real-life rewards is that your dog is learning that he needs to listen all the time, not just during training. Your dog will be practicing obedience in the real life situations where it’s needed most. 

On the next page are some examples of real life rewards that you might be able to use in your daily routine.  You will come up with more in the future. (EXAMPLES ON NEXT PAGE)