# Treats in your pocket? - a poll



## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

When you walk your dog, do you have a pocket full of treats? I'm especially interested in hearing from those with adult dogs that are already pretty well trained. Do you still carry around a pocketful of treats on walks or have you stopped doing that?


----------



## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

If it's one our jaunts around the neigbourhood when we're just stretching out legs and refreshing our minds but no real training happening, then I don't carry treats. At least not on purpose. I've found a few hanging around in my pockets these days now that Ranger's back on a training program but I don't specifically hunt for them when we're going for a nice long walk.


----------



## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

I always carry a baggie filled with treats. They are not necesssarily used/given to my dog. We have doggie friends in their yards that look forward to getting a treat when we go by. They are also there in case I would meet a stray or a loose dog and want to throw some to take the stray/loose dogs interest away from my dog.


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Nope.

If I'm taking him to dog class or I'm going somewhere with the specific intention to train him... then yeah, I do slip a few treats into my pocket. 

But regular walks... nope. We just go out and enjoy the walk. If I train him midway, I keep it quick and either just praise him or reward him with a stick (this is a HUGE reward, to him).


----------



## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

Most of the time,I dont have treats,on me but will if I take care of training other people's dogs!.


----------



## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

I always carry treats.....don't always use them but have them just in case!!


----------



## Bob Dylan (Mar 31, 2009)

Always when Dylan was a puppy, but he quickly learned the neighbors that would have treats for him and would turn into their driveway. (what more would you expect from a Golden?)

Now having three older, we carry treats once in a while.


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Almost always--don't always use them but they come in handy. It is fun when we run into the neighborhood kids and I let them have Scout do tricks and give her a treat. Plus, a lot of my walks I am either going to a park to train or we are off-leash and I like having food as a fail-safe although I hardly ever use it these days for walking.


----------



## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

I carry them sometimes - there is always an oppornity to train or reinforce something. Our trips to Petco are always a place to reinforce things like long distance down/stays or recalls from around corners.

I have a friend who is a K9 handler - he does homework every single day. He was the one who told me there is always something to reinforce.


----------



## blond1155 (May 27, 2010)

I ALWAYS have them, but Tucker is only 9 months old, and we're still mastering the leash. I'm not really sure why I take them, though, since he has ZERO interest in them when we walk. He's too busy taking in the sights! But I always think that IF I forget them, then that will be the time I need them. Better to be safe than sorry!


----------



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

I SHOULD always have some but I've been getting sloppy lately.

Ideally, even when my 9yo great walker is good while a squirrel runs past I WILL reinforce. It's easier to maintain behaviors than repair them.


----------



## Shoob&Sheeb (Jun 1, 2009)

We tried it but with the sniffers being very keen it only turns into a feed me feed me walk. That is until I run out then its back to normal. They stay very close on the trails without.


----------



## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

Sometimes. If we are going somewhere new and I want that little bit extra attention from Willow. 

It is also nice to have the reward for good every day behaviour. My dogs know their recall but if every now and then the recall comes with a treat then it keeps them on their toes and makes it fun for them.


----------



## goldensmum (Oct 23, 2007)

ALways have treats in my pockets, and there always seem to be some in them when I haven't got the dogs with me. It's a bit embarrasing sometimes when I go to get money out of the pocket and pull out poo bags and treats before I find the money:doh:


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

goldensmum said:


> ALways have treats in my pockets, and there always seem to be some in them when I haven't got the dogs with me. It's a bit embarrasing sometimes when I go to get money out of the pocket and pull out poo bags and treats before I find the money:doh:


No harm. As long as there's nothing in those bags... :curtain:


----------



## OriJames (Jan 23, 2009)

I tried a few times, but not to train. He's actually quite good on the leash and when going for walks that I never really needed them. When we first started, he knew they were in my pocket, so he wouldn't walk and just kept sniffing. Lol. I found he walked better without them.


----------



## MillysMom (Nov 5, 2008)

I've almost stopped treats in the pocket all together, but sometimes I surprise Milly with them. She's perfectly trained in the house, and in our yard, but sometimes she forgets her manners while on walks. I like to work on things like sit, down, and down/stay (with a long lead) while on walks and if I do these things then I sometimes will magically pull treats from my pockets. I use enough treats to remind her that there is a slight possibility a treat might appear, but not enough that she depends on them.


----------



## ilovemydogs (Jan 22, 2009)

I don't carry treats on my walks. If I did Duke would have a hard time walking, he would be to obsessed with the treats in my pocket. Even when training Bailey I didn't carry treats on walks. She is just as motivated by affection so that worked great.


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

You are talking about dog treats right?  Yes, on long walks I try to remember to bring treats.


----------



## Daisybones (Aug 25, 2008)

I always carry treats for Hudson. You just never know when he needs one.


----------



## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

janine said:


> You are talking about dog treats right?  Yes, on long walks I try to remember to bring treats.


Oh dog treats. Can I change my answer?


----------



## Griffyn'sMom (Mar 22, 2007)

Nah - the walk itself is Griff's treat! :curtain:


----------



## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Always, both for reinforcing good behavior in Finn and for all of our doggie friends who we run into on our strolls. One yellow labby guy who never gets walked or talked to looks forward to seeing us daily and getting a couple of treats and scritches....makes his day, I think.


----------



## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Always. Riley still has some fear issues with other dogs, so I like to reward him when he doesn't get too watchful and will just glance at the other dog and keep moving.


----------



## Phiddler (Sep 1, 2008)

Usually I have them. Just as a fail safe, sometimes to surprise Zip, and also just in case I really want to reinforce something. I try to vary having the treat bag, but no treats, having treats without the treat bag, having treats, and he doesn't get any, etc. I like to keep him guessing and on his toes. I do the same with the clicker. Sometimes I hold the clicker and don't click, but use the verbal marker. Sometimes he gets the treat, sometimes he doesn't, and sometimes when he's not looking for it, he gets a jackpot. If I do anything with a pattern or predictability, he'll pick up on it and second guess me. I also have to change up the order and timing of his tricks and commands to avoid his anticipating what I am going to do next. I often wonder who is training whom?


----------



## turtle66 (Feb 19, 2010)

Always - won't go without....Lilly is a little more than one year and does everything for food....


----------



## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

Yes, I usually have treats in my pockets.... :uhoh::uhoh: and the washing machine is evidence to my "sins"..... I don't check pockets before I throw clothes in the washing machine & there are ALWAYS treats floating around when the wash is done!:no::no:


----------



## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Never, and never have- unless the purpose of the walk is to train a new behavior.


----------



## acupofteha (Jun 28, 2010)

Always, Bailey is just learning to walk nicely on a leash, Unfortunately her previous owner never taught her to walk, Even though shes not interested in treats on a walk, I make sure to give them to her when shes walking good.


----------



## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I go to the dog park a lot and it's extremely rude, risky, and against the rules to have food in your pockets or anywhere inside of the dog park. That's another reason I don't do it.


----------



## doggylove86 (Aug 26, 2010)

My answer is Never, but I really need to change that habit! She deserves a reward once in a while


----------



## prl (Apr 29, 2010)

I have treats everywhere, pockets, bureau, counters, cars. I cant tell you how many treats have gone thru the washer & dryer!


----------



## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I voted 'always' because I always have horse treats in my pockets and Penny loves them.

I didn't have anything, though, the time she took off after a herd of deer. I said Penny! No! at which point she slammed on the brakes. I said COME and SHE DID! I wished I'd had a whole hot dog in my pocket for that one. It was dark out and I spent the entire night waking up in a sweat because she could have kept going and gotten lost in the swampy woods.

Now I always have some apple/oat/carrot treats. She also loves the peppermint treats.


----------

