Treats used to train your dog need to capture his undivided attention. In training class, I use cooked sirloin steak cut into tiny pieces. King tends to get distracted by the other dogs in class and wants to socialize, but as soon as I bring out my power treats, he’s all eyes on me.
At home, though, it’s the carrots the dogs come to attention for. Every night – it’s become a ritual, my husband brings out the bag of baby carrots to snack on. Off the furniture, or wherever they’re lounging at the time, they come Sit at attention, poker straight, seemingly trying to outdo one another in the straightest Sit. I can’t help but laugh at this. They are so serious. Into a Down, they are sometimes asked to do, before the carrot treat is given (they must work for it). They’re eating well, and exercising good manners all the time.