Beyond The Biscuit: How to Train Dogs with Food the Right Way Force-Free Positive Reinforcement

Dog Training Today with Will Bangura for Pet Parents, Kids & Family, Pets and Animals, and Dog Training Professionals. This is a Education & How To Dog Training Podcast.

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🎧 Podcast Episode Description (for Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and RSS)

In this episode, we debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding the use of food in dog training — including the age-old claim that “dogs trained with treats only work when food is visible.”

Will Bangura, M.S., CAB-ICB, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, FFCP, internationally certified canine behaviorist and host of Dog Training Today, guides you through the science and structure of reward-based training, revealing how to use food correctly—not as a bribe, but as a powerful reinforcer.

We explore:

• Why food is the most effective and ethical training tool
• How to avoid dependency and fade treats strategically
• The science behind marker timing, operant and classical conditioning
• Mistakes pet parents make with treat delivery
• How to build lasting behaviors that don’t rely on food presence

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🎁 Want to dive deeper? Download Will’s FREE 35-page guide:
👉 https://phoenixdogtraining.com/how-to-train-dogs-with-food-correctly/
This in-depth resource walks you step-by-step through how to train with food using evidence-based, humane techniques that actually work. Perfect for pet parents and training professionals alike.

📌 Whether you're struggling with food-focused dogs or skeptical about reinforcement-based training, this episode lays the foundation for real behavior change without force, fear, or gimmicks. If you need dog aggression training in phoenix az. contact me

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Chapters

1. Effective Food Training Introduction (00:00:00)

2. The Treat Pouch Necessity (00:03:29)

3. Marker Training Explained (00:09:36)

4. Sequence: Behavior First, Reward After (00:17:08)

5. Variable Reinforcement Strategies (00:21:17)

6. High-Value Food Selection (00:25:23)

7. Training in Distracting Environments (00:29:09)