Are we just a "Treat Bag"?

Recently, on one of the several dog-group email chat lists, a post came up that someone considered that to dogs, most people are just "Treat Bags". This got me thinking quite a bit. Are we?

Bottom line, we are if we LET ourselves be. IF we insist that dogs only learn and do things that we ask if they see the treat in line, then yes, we are only treat bags. I have let my Pug be this way. I have not worked with him enough to show him that he CAN work and have fun with the treat not in sight. Who's fault is that? Mine. For me, he was the 'house dog' who just worked for fun. I did not have a goal in mind for him - no shows or anything. He is a wonderful family dog. Could he be a show dog and really compete in freestyle, obedience, treibball? Yes - If I showed him how!

But, with Pippin and Geneveive (and Toby), dogs who I have trained in earnest with a goal in mind, I did show them that there is something special past the treat bag ... ME! We have worked together building a sound foundation called our RELATIONSHIP. Do I have that relationship with Pug? Yes I do. But, I have not shown Pug that the relationship can exists past the treat bag. With the others, I have.

In my classes, I have tried to always emphasised to my students that the basis of a great freestyle is the relationship between dog and handler, i.e. the two partners. While we may start teaching the moves to our dogs with treat lures, I try to take the treat away fairly quickly and move on to praise and partnership. We also do a lot of work at the beginning and during each class on partnership & attention with different exercises using play, praise and treat. There are some students who have a VERY HARD time letting go of that treat bag (like myself and Pug), claiming that their dog will only work for treats. And, in a sense they are right. At this point in time, Pug works great with the treats in sight. But, every dog can be re-taught or taught from the begining that the relationship is the praise. If we, the humans, let go of the treats, then the relationship has a great chance to build up.

How can we do this? I believe that each behavior is defined and confirmed. The 'confirmation' (or rewards) are a mix of treats, play and praise. The more we work, the less treat and more play and praise. By mixing the rewards, the relationship builds up from both parties. Pippin has also discovered that some of the moves (such as pushing the ball in Treibball) is in itself a great reward.

Today, for example, I am sick with a flu but needed to do something with him. So, I took out the ball and had him push it throughout the house. His main "work" was to line up properly (opposite of me) so he would push it in the right direction. I only clicked and rewarded on the line up - the push was its own reward. After about 10 min of pushing the ball around corners, hallways, in/out rooms, we played and he was totally happy. Was our relationship at all involved here - by all means. He listened, his reward was the push, play and praise. Very little cookie involved.

I would love to hear more discussion on this. What do you think?