Let’s all take a deep breath and let out a well-deserved, long-suffering sigh. It feels like a thousand years have passed, but we made it through the first year of our recycled (and appropriately named) Roaring ‘20s decade.
A lot led us to the events that culminated in 2020 and there’s plenty more to come. For the sake of safety, a number of dog training conferences that the community regularly looked forward to got cancelled in 202. But the initial shock of it all has worn off and — as humans and dogs alike do — we’ve adapted! And that means that we as a community have some cherished events returning in cleverly redesigned ways.
NOTE: Only conferences that provide updated information online at the time of writing this article are included.
Top Dog Training Conferences of 2021
This year’s list of events may be different than past years’ (2020, 2019, 2018, 2017), but some fan favorites have come up with incredible virtual events. There are even potential in-person dog training conferences, depending on how things change over the coming months.
The Karen Pryor Academy (KPA)’s annual ClickerExpo event has taken an innovative digital approach for 2021 in the form of ClickerExpo LIVE!
The popular conference offers over 70 courses available for you to explore freely during the three-day event. Attendees get access to all conference videos for a full year. This year’s topics include “This One, Not That One: Discrimination Tasks,” “Building Behavior: Shape the Future,” and many more!
CEUs available from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), KPA, and the American Association of Veterinary State Boards’ RACE program.
Previously held in the UK, 2021 will be the Dog Behavior Conference’s second online event. In 2020 they made the quick switch to a global virtual conference with the appearance of COVID-19 and decided to keep it online this upcoming year.
This science and research-focused conference by the Victoria Stilwell Academy (VSA) will feature presentations such as “Home Alone, Separation Without Anxiety,” and “Science Talk — Puppy Edition.” Registering for the conference also grants you access to downloadables, special promotions, and recordings of the presentations.
CEUs available from the CCPDT, IAABC, the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB), and VSA.
The Lemonade Conference is a collaboration brought to you by Fenzi Dog Sports Academy (FDSA) and the IAABC, both of which cancelled their annual dog training conferences in 2020. They created a digital conference with a little sprinkle of the hope and confidence that dog trainers need right now.
“When COVID-19 shut down […] in-person training conferences, we took those lemons, squeezed them, added some water, sugar, and a splash of attitude and we made … lemonade!”
The Lemonade Conference will be an international “online educational extravaganza” featuring classrooms open for 18 hours a day, 40-plus presenters, and access to the recording library after the event.
CEUs are pending, and more details about this event — including speakers and schedules — will be dropping on Jan. 15. Scholarships for this conference will be available for financial hardship, 4H leaders and volunteers, and junior handlers.
According to a recent and succinct tweet from the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), you should mark the end of September on your calendars for the 2021 APDT Conference!
More details are presumably to come, but the illustration shared by APDT on Twitter listed Riverside, CA as a possible location.
The Loose Leash Academy’s second annual Aggression in Dogs Conference is planned for the tail-end (pun intended) of October. They’re currently aiming for both virtual and in-person events in Chicago, IL if COVID-19 allows for it.
The 2021 program details aren’t out yet, but speakers include Denise Fenzi of FDSA and Grisha Stewart, developer of the Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT) technique. Tickets are going on pre-sale on Mar. 1 for those that get on the waitlist now, and on Mar. 15 for the general public.
CEUs are pending for this event. If the in-person event is cancelled, all those who registered for it are switched to the digital event automatically.
Do you know of other upcoming conferences we didn’t touch on here? Drop the info in the comments!
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Facebook Live Webinar by Ines McNeil and Megan Wallace (Dogs Deciphered), Transcribed by Gem Sheps
However, some trainers find themselves struggling with adapting their communication to the new status quo. Effective online communication is an important skill for everyone to learn nowadays, and Megan Wallace B.S., CPDT-KA, CNWI, owner of Dogs Deciphered, joined me again this week to discuss how communication online is different than in person.
Be Direct
You have to be able to clearly describe what you need your client to do when training online. In person you have the opportunity to demonstrate physically, but that can actually become a crutch. Online, you have to be able to give step-by-step, detailed instructions about the mechanics of dog training.
“One of the reasons dog trainers struggle with online communication is because they think it’s going to be wildly different than training in person,” Wallace said. “There are differences, but we have to remember that we know a lot of this stuff already. Clearly explaining training methods takes practice, but it’s a skill we can all improve on over time.”
Find New Ways to Explain Training Mechanics
One of the biggest challenges in general for dog training clients is learning the mechanics. Communicating online can feel like a major barrier between your client and successful training. You have to be specific and explain step by step what you need your client to do in online lessons.
“When I started teaching nosework I didn’t have descriptive terms ready to explain things like a search area to clients,” Wallace said. “I was able to physically point out the boundaries. But since transitioning to online training, I’ve had to practice describing things to clients without being able to point things out in person. If you find that people are confused by what you’re saying, take the time to think about what you could say differently.”
Finding the right descriptive terms takes time as well, so don’t be afraid to reach out to other trainers and watch their webinars. You may hear an explanation that would work better for your clients or even makes more sense to you!
Find Substitutes for Body Language
We know as people who work with dogs that body language is a huge part of communication. In person we use body language to make ourselves more approachable, and you can do the same thing online.
Communicating online can feel alienating at first, so you need to use other ‘body language’ tools to make clients feel more comfortable. For example — emojis! Adding facial expressions to the sentence you’re trying to explain can help clients interpret your writing and make it more relatable. Where it’s appropriate, add emojis to your content; this includes social media, texts, and even email.
“It is important to be aware of what does and doesn’t work in text,” Wallace said. “I’m someone who likes to use humor to lighten the mood, but in an email it may not come off the way I intended. Especially if you’re approaching a serious topic, consider writing out what you need to say and then sit on it; leave it in your drafts for a few hours, then come back and read it again — preferably out loud. You might come to find that something you think is funny written down may not translate well out loud, and your client can pick up on those nuances. Written humor can come off as flippant or sarcastic, which is risky.”
Over-Communication is Key
You need to be more thorough in explaining things online, especially in written conversation. In order to feel confident in training, clients may need direct links to products they should purchase, or for you to explain how to set up their training space.
“Your client may not have any of the skills in their arsenal that you expect them to have,” Wallace said. “Over-communicate online. Never assume that your client understands even the most basic concepts without talking to them first, even if it feels repetitive.”
Of course, use your best judgement with each client. Some people can get agitated by being over-communicated to if they feel they understand the concept. However, those who need the extra reminders and suggestions will be grateful.
“It’s easy to get distracted from training when the trainer isn’t in the room, and staying focused on technology can be hard,” Wallace said. “Rather than explaining a concept once and risking your client missing a bit, bring the concept up throughout lessons and make sure they have a higher chance of succeeding.”
Improve Your Dog Training Business
Master communication so that clients literally love you, never ask for refunds, and can’t stop talking about you to their friends. Learn from this month’s guest, Megan Wallace B.S., CPDT-KA, CNWI, about how to communicate confidently for better results in your dog training business.
I don’t believe that business owners have “free time.”
No, that doesn’t mean that business owners can never rest. You don’t have to be productive 24/7. What I mean is that you need to have a solid understanding of what you’re doing throughout the day; otherwise, something unplanned could pop up and steal your perceived free time.
Facebook Live Webinar by Ines McNeil, Transcribed by Gem Sheps
Business Owners Need to Schedule Their “Free Time”
For example, if you want to have a Saturday off — you have to plan it! And if you’re bad about sticking to your own schedule, you need to write down that day off and what you’re going to be doing with it.
“Watch Netflix one hour,” and “walk the dogs,” are what you’re planning on doing anyway, so write them down! This isn’t actually free time; it’s a time full of planned self care activities.
Schedule the things you want to do — you deserve those activities, and having that time solidly blocked off will discourage you from giving that “free time” to whoever shows up needing your help. You are busy; you’re taking care of yourself and your priorities.
Tell your clients you’re booked when you have “free time” scheduled for yourself. Put that free time on your calendar so it’s indisputable — you have written it into existence. If you don’t, you will burn out; you’ll have difficult client interactions, you won’t enjoy your job anymore, and it could result in you losing your business entirely. If you aren’t motivated to market, bring revenue, and increase your audience reach, then your business will come to a standstill.
DON’T Work During Your “Free Time!”
Don’t guilt yourself into doing things just because you don’t know what to do with time off. You’re allowed to block off 45 minutes for yourself to sit in silence and do nothing else.
As long as you take these breaks for yourself with purpose, that’s all that matters. Otherwise, you give that time away to others and end up with none for yourself.
Your time is worth at least as much as what a client would pay for it. If you as a business owner are focused on those money-making tasks that generate income and clients, then your time is worth a lot more than you believe it is. When you look at the potential income from each client, the possible referrals, those numbers add up quickly.
You have to be cognizant of how you’re spending time and how you’re giving it away. You need to allow yourself to rest and get refreshed, or you won’t be happy heading back to work in the morning. Ultimately, that leads to burnout. You get tired, annoyed, you have worse client experiences, and it goes downhill from there.
Positive Procrastination is Your Best Friend
The reality is there are only so many hours in the day, and even more scarce than time is energy. Now, hear me out…
On many occasions, procrastination is actually good.
Positive procrastination allows you to prioritize things that are more urgent and demanding of your attention. Focus on tasks that are going to generate revenue; anything that doesn’t immediately drive those results can be procrastinated on until the time feels right. Don’t feel obligated to do things just because others are doing them — if those tasks don’t affect your income in the short term, write them down and plan them for later.
You Are Worthy of Rest and Leisure
Give yourself permission to have time to yourself. Juggling your business, family, friends, pets, and other obligations doesn’t leave you a lot of time to rest and recharge. Sometimes, it leaves you feeling like you aren’t allowed to take time to yourself because there are so many people depending on your presence and time.
But feeling guilty in the moments where you allow yourself to nap, take a walk, or watch a funny show on Netflix is pointless, because you already have minimal time to use for your own personal benefit. If you need to, consider this me giving you permission to take that time for yourself, even if it’s just 15 minutes to get some fresh air.
However, you need to learn to give yourself permission to rest as well. You’re the business owner, and you’re the only one who can really give yourself those orders. You need to learn to prioritize your health and happiness and do something for yourself. The Do Not Disturb feature on your phone exists to benefit you!
Try This Exercise to Start Prioritizing Your Time
Get out a piece of paper and on the top write down “NEVER AGAIN.” Underneath it, start jotting down anything you don’t want to ever do again.
Whether that’s volunteering somewhere, hosting Thanksgiving, offering a specific service, or something else entirely — write down anything you never want to do again because the outcome wasn’t worth your time or energy.
Consider keeping this list around and adding to it every year. It might help you keep track of things that are and aren’t working for your business, your social life, and more. No one wants to keep repeating the same mistakes; this could help improve your life overall!
As a business owner, a lot of people depend on your being your happiest, best self. Don’t forget that being that person means taking the time you need to rest, recharge, and care for yourself and your family.
What other ways do you ensure you have time for yourself throughout the week? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to sign up for our latest blog posts by subscribing below.
In a quick, unscientific poll of a small number of colleagues and clients, the overwhelming results were that clients appreciate knowing their trainers are participating in hands-on continuing education. To be among the best of the best in the dog training field, it is important to also be a student. Some certifications for dog trainers require continuing education to maintain certification; some dog trainers choose to participate in continuing education.
Continuing education can take on many forms. It can be a book that is read, a dvd that is watched, a seminar that is observed, a local workshop that is hands-on, a national conference that is all of the above with the added bonus of networking with colleagues. While a list of books read and dvds watched can be impressive, spending time and funds on a seminar, workshop, and/or conference shows clients a different level of commitment to continuing education – a level of investment both of time and funds to seek out knowledge and information.
Why Is Continuing Education Important For Dog Trainers?
Accountability – seeking out and participating in continuing education puts a trainer into the position of being a student and demonstrating results.
Commitment – commitment to our profession, commitment to our clients, commitment to our dogs. Attending workshops, seminars, classes, etc. sparks a renewed commitment to spend time doing what we love.
Maintenance of/increasing knowledge and skill – use it or lose it! Teaching helps us to maintain our knowledge and skill but continuing education helps us to increase that knowledge and skill. Learning about new thought processes and methods expands our range of who we can help and how we can help them.
Staying on the cutting edge – there is constantly new science about dogs, about learning, about humans, about the dog/human interaction, etc. Participating in continuing education keeps trainers up to date on the latest and greatest science and how it can be useful in dog training.
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We know that dogs communicate with us all of the time, whether we notice it or not. However, can they let us know when they have learned a skill we are teaching? Stanley Coren says yes, in his article, “Does A Dog’s Body Language Tell Us How Much He Has Learned?”
The Seed Is Planted
Coren began paying attention after a dog trainer mentioned that he noticed his dogs almost exhibited pushy, “dominant” behavior when they started to catch on to a new behavior. Instead of lolling tongues and wagging tails, the ears would go forward and tails up.
One he started paying attention, Coren began noticing this as well, mostly in dogs that were relatively new to learning. He then found a Japanese study that had looked into this premise. It was a team from the Azabu University School of Veterinary Medicine and was headed by Masashi Hasegawa.
The Study
The study involved 46 dogs with no prior obedience training. The goal was to teach them to sit using just a hand signal. They used luring – moving a food treat from in front of the dog’s nose to over their head to lure them into a sit. The sessions were 5 minutes long and documented via video. Video was also taken of the dogs during non-training times to compare behaviors. The videos were then scored, focusing on the ears, mouth, eyes, tail carriage, and wagging.
The Body Language Results
Mouths: Successful dogs were more prone to keeping their mouths shut, generally a sign of focus and concentration.
Ears: Successful dogs would have their ears rotated forward which is, again, a sign of focused attention.
Eyes: Successful dogs had wider than normal eyes, especially when staring at their trainer.
Tail: Successful dogs generally held their tail high and still, or vibrating slightly.
Is It Dominance?
Coren feels that “dominance” is too strong of a word for the behaviors exhibited. He feels that the successful dogs are showing strong, confident behavior once they have figured out the task. They get bolder and more pushy once they have “solved” the problem, and they want to keep training to continue earning treats.
Impact For Modern Dog Trainers
So what does this mean for you, as a modern dog trainer? We generally consider closed mouths, forward ears, and high, barely moving tails as signs of intensity and possibly nearing their threshold, so we often try to take things down a notch when we see these occurring. You will need to keep in mind that if you are training a green dog, or teaching a brand new skill, these behaviors may pop up and you should celebrate them. The dog is telling you she’s got it! Obviously, everything needs to be kept in context – if you are working with a reactive dog outside, he MAY be going over threshold. So it will be up to you to monitor the surroundings and take in the big picture.
Have you noticed these behaviors in any dogs that you’ve been training? Tell us about it!
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Before I get into today’s Speakers, I just want to report on what a great Conference this is! Everyone is so nice and friendly, I am rooming with Facebook friends, met lots of other friends as well as people I have interviewed. I am really enjoying the educational aspect of this Conference and the comradery of the Attendees.
Dr. Stephen Ledoux
My first Speaker today, was Dr. Stephen Ledoux, his topic was – Introductory Behaviorology: A Book Discussion on his latest book – “Running Out of Time—Introducing Behaviorology to Help Solve Global Problems”.
I enjoyed Dr Ledoux easy way of talking with his interjections of humor and he was very approachable. He talked about the origins of this book, the contents, the purpose of this book and other books and how they relate to dog training and other companion animal behavior training , behavior science. Attendees found out how the natural science of behavior was the common theme of many other behavior training books.
Newsletter Marketing: Help Dogs While Growing Your Business with Veronica Boutelle
My second Speaker was Veronica Boutelle, MA Ed., CTC of Dogtec fame, she talked about “Newsletter Marketing: Help Dogs While Growing Your Business”.
We learned about the different uses, audiences and goals of print and email newsletters. content and design, guidelines, best practices. Also covered was choosing an email marketing service provider, sourcing images, the structure of emails – short and sweet, whether to have a single topic or 2 to 4 topics, how often to produce your newsletter. How to get readers by interviewing, featuring dogs and dog related businesses.
85% of content should be fun and informative while the other 15% should be info on your business – services, special discounts, upcoming events. She also gave tips on how to maximize your chance of being read:
no lecturing,
short sentences,
using headers,
subheaders,
bullets and lists,
along with lots of photos – but watch that the dog shows the body language you want to convey.
I was so pleased to meet Veronica in real life since I had worked with her and Gina Phairas, when I won the APDT Business Makeover in 2013, she is as nice in person as she was to deal with online.
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As a modern dog trainer, you most likely enjoy furthering your education via seminars. They are even better when you can score a working spot with your dog. But it is important to remember some essential supplies for both you and your dog to ensure you both have a fun, safe experience.
Crate
Image taken by Liz Wyant
All seminars have down time between working sessions. During this time, you want to make sure your dog has a safe, comfortable place to relax and recharge. A crate is preferable to a mat because the leash can come off and they can easily curl up and take a snooze without worrying about other dogs getting in their space. Obviously it’s important to make sure your dog is comfortable being crated with other dogs around.
Water And Treats
This one is for both you and your dog. Though some seminars provide snacks and beverages for the human half of the equation, it is still a good idea to bring your own just in case. Also, you will obviously want to make sure you have plenty of water and treats for your dog. Your dog will be working hard and will appreciate fresh, cool water and plenty of treat rewards.
Pen And Notepad
If there are going to be lecture portions of the seminar, which most do have, you’ll want to make sure you have writing materials so you can take notes. Nothing worse than having the presenter say something brilliant and then not being able to remember it later.
Business Cards
Seminars are fantastic for networking! Make sure you have a stack of business cards you can share as you meet new people. And make sure to get their cards, too. It’s always fantastic to have plenty of options for referring/consulting.
Sense Of Humor/Open Mind
Murphy’s Law is right – if something can go wrong, it will. Being able to maintain a sense of humor will keep you relaxed, thereby keeping your dog relaxed. It is so important to remember that yes, you are there to learn and improve your skills, but your dog’s happiness needs to come first. You’re there to bond with your dog and improve your teamwork. If you are getting stressed out, your dog will shut down and tune you out and have a miserable time.
What do you find imperative to bring with you to a seminar?
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Clickers are absolutely wonderful to help dogs and their owners communicate effectively and quickly. They make the dog’s learning process easier, but they can make things a bit more complicated for their owners.
Presenting the Clicker Ring
Josh Pitts, the founder and creator of Clicker Plus, has designed a revolutionary new clicker that will make clicker training less of a juggling act for the average dog owner. The Clicker Ring is a ring with a mechanical clicker built into it. This innovative tool will make clicker training easier and more fun for everyone!
1) Anyone Can Clicker Train With The Clicker Ring
The benefit to turning the clicker into a ring is that it will allow dog owners with disabilities or movement restrictions to train their dog. They no longer have to worry about dropping the clicker if they accidentally open their hand which will improve their timing – which is so important during training!
2) Everyone Will Be Able to Wear One
The Clicker Ring comes in a variety of sizes which means people short and tall, large and small will be able to wear them. It is discrete so even self-conscious client’s will be able to use a clicker to train their dogs.
3) Fast & Easy Access To A Clicker
How many times have you told a client to keep the clicker ready during classes or when working with reactive dogs? Now they will have no choice but to have the clicker available to them at all times. This will keep them from fumbling around to find their clicker when they need it most – usually when they least expect it!
4) Less Juggling, More Clicking
Between the leash, treats, listening to instructions, and a dog pulling on the other end of the leash, dog owners can quickly get overwhelmed during classes or private lessons. They are learning a lot of new information in a very short time frame. The clicker ring takes away a small, but challenging variable to their, and their dog’s, learning process by making it more convenient to use during training.
Learn more about the clicker ring and pre-order yours today!
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It’s a life saving behavior and one that needs to be taught like any other behavior. It is one of the most difficult behaviors to get reliably but it shouldn’t have to be. With practice, patience, and consistency anyone can achieve a reliable recall. There are many different ways to teach “Come” and below we’ll examine 5 of them.
“How to Train a Whistle Recall” by Pamela Dennison
Pamela starts with the first steps of teaching the whistle recall. It begins with charging the whistle. With every blow of the whistle she delivers high value treats. She puts a lot of emphasis on the use of the high value treat versus commercial treats. She gives a timeline of how long your should work on charging the whistle and the importance of not rushing the first steps of any recall. This video does not cover it but with the following videos you will see how to gradually add distraction to begin proofing the recall.
“How to train “Come!”” by Emily Larlham – Kikopup
Emily teaches the first steps of “Come” with the dog on leash. She begins by just simply backing up, clicking & treating when the dog moves with her. Once this becomes reliable she adds the recall cue. Once the dog is reliably coming, Emily then works on adding distractions while the dog is on leash. The art of teaching come on leash first is to set the dog up for success so that it never learns that not responding to the cue has any value.
“How To Train Your Dog to Come” by Training Positive
In this video, the fundamentals are brought into training the recall. The focus is on rewarding your dog for checking in while in a distracting environment and utilizing a “watch me” cue. These behaviors are a precursor to letting your dog off leash so that your dog remembers that you exist while in a stimulating situation and increases the likelihood that they will continue to check in with you. The other aspect of teaching come that Training Positive uses is once you have your dog come to you engaging them with other behaviors or tricks.
Zak George begins teaching the recall by making it a fun game for you and the dog. Making it fun will get a faster recall. In his video, Zak uses a footage from training a puppy recall for the first time which is useful because you are able to see when real life issues arise and how to troubleshoot them when they happen.
In Ian’s short video, he starts with luring the dog backwards to follow him, then into a sit and as he delivers the treat he is touching the dog’s collar. Ian explains the importance of touching the collar as part of the recall because if you need your dog to come to you it will do you no good if you can’t actually catch your dog. As in other videos he keeps the distance short and the distraction low while practicing the sequence of events.
While all these videos are similar, they offer different perspectives on teaching the recall. The one thing that is consistent within these videos is that you can’t rush this behavior. If you want to get a reliable recall you have to practice and build the behavior by starting with low distractions and always proofing.
What ways have you found most effective to teach a dog to come?
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7 Amazing High Value Training Treats Almost All Dogs Love
As a modern dog trainer, you know the importance of figuring out each individual dog’s likes/dislikes when it comes to training treats. However, there are some foods/treats that are almost always considered high value in the minds (or mouths?) of dogs. Just be mindful that as so many of these high value food items are not specifically for dogs, they may be extremely high in fat or sodium, or just have questionable ingredients (see #1!), so save them for training complex behaviors or locations that will require super high value rewards.
Please note – this is not an inclusive list nor is it necessarily an endorsement; these are some treats I personally use and have heard from other trainers they use and like. Additionally, some of the links here are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase through them, helping us continue offering great advice for your dog training business; we only recommend products we believe in, and we value your trust.
Was there ever a human food more perfectly designed for dog training than squeeze cheese? That lovely metal can with a nozzle at the end is perfect for relatively mess-free treating. And you cannot get a more ideal treating method for muzzle training because the nozzle fits so well through the muzzle. It comes in several flavors, though anything other than American or Cheddar can be difficult to find. There is an elusive bacon flavor that is rumored to be THE ONE.
Old reliable. There are very few dogs that don’t go crazy for peanut butter. Whether you give them a quick swipe with their tongue directly out of the jaw, or dip a spoon or finger in to let them lick it, peanut butter is going to keep even the most distracted of dogs working with your clients. It is also handy smeared on the refrigerator or another vertical surface to occupy a dog while getting a nail trim, or of course stuffed and frozen in Kongs or other stuffable toys.
Baby food is soft and stinky, pretty much ideal for dog training. Also, seeing as how it is designed to keep human infants alive and healthy, it often contains less questionable ingredients than something like Easy Cheese or hot dogs. Baby food also now comes in squeezable pouches for easy mess-free treating.
Hot Dogs
Kind of like peanut butter, hot dogs are a classic super high value training treat. Whenever possible, get the nitrate/nitrite-free ones so they are at least slightly less unhealthy. And remember, one hot dog can garner over a hundred treats if cut well.
Freeze-dried or dehydrated meat/organs is considered “doggy crack” by those in the know. Though it’s not overly stinky, it still can get the attention of most any dog in your vicinity. One drawback is that the pieces are often kind of large, requiring a little work to break them into more appropriate treat-sized pieces. The effort is worth it for such a mess-free, healthy, high value treat.
French Fries
Fresh, warm, salty, greasy french fries. Nectar of the gods (dogs?). Incredibly unhealthy, so definitely only use these in extreme moderation. However, the lovely thing is they are soft so they are very easily torn into very small pieces so you can get a lot of training mileage out of just a handful of fries.
These are relatively newer on the market but dogs seem to go nuts for them. They smell really good, they’re small, they’re soft, not messy, and very inexpensive. Almost the ideal high value training treat.
What are some other treats your clients’ dogs consider high value?
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Coren began paying attention after a dog trainer mentioned that he noticed his dogs almost exhibited pushy, “dominant” behavior when they started to catch on to a new behavior. Instead of lolling tongues and wagging tails, the ears would go forward and tails up.
Dr. Stephen Ledoux
Old reliable. There are very few dogs that don’t go crazy for 
