Okay, so I’ve been trying to train my dog, Bagel. He’s a good boy, but he gets distracted easily. I realized that I needed to up my game when it comes to training, especially with rewards. So, here’s what I did.

First, I got myself a treat bag. I used to just stuff treats in my pockets, or sometimes use those small plastic sandwich bags. But man, it was a mess. I could not keep treats well with these bags! Sometimes I’d forget they were there and then find them all crumbled up later. Or worse, I’d wash my pants with treats still in the pockets. Yuck!
Then, I thought about using one of those reusable silicone bags. You know, the ones that are supposed to be better for the environment? I tried that for a bit, but it wasn’t much better. It was still a hassle to get the treats out quickly. And let me tell you, with a dog, timing is everything. You gotta reward them right when they do something good, or they won’t connect the dots.
So, I finally broke down and bought a proper treat pouch. It’s specifically designed for dog training, and let me tell you, it’s a game-changer. It clips onto my belt, so I’m hands-free. This is great because now I can easily use hand signals and keep Bagel focused.
Inside the pouch, there are a few compartments. I use one for his regular kibble, which I use for easy commands he already knows. Then there’s another compartment where I put the high-value treats, like small pieces of chicken or cheese. I save these for when he does something really impressive or when we’re working on a new, difficult trick. Having them separate but right at my fingertips is really helping with the training flow.
- Having a dedicated treat pouch is way better than using your pockets or makeshift bags.
- Being able to quickly grab a treat makes a huge difference in training.
- Separating different types of treats helps you vary the rewards based on the situation.
Here’s what I’ve learned so far:
Now, every time we go out, I clip on that treat pouch. Bagel sees it and he immediately gets excited. He knows it’s training time, and he’s ready to work for those treats. We have been making so much progress lately, and I really think a lot of it is because I finally got my act together with the treat situation. It’s amazing how such a simple thing can make such a big difference!
I know this is a very basic change. But I just wanted to share my experience because I think other dog owners can benefit from this. Having this bag has changed my whole approach to training.
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