Will my dog only learn to do things for treats?

We use a lot of treats in our daycare and training programs. We find that using a wide variety of food for rewarding behaviors is a powerful motivator for most pups! However, we also use a lot of other rewards with our students as well. This can include food, toys, treats, praise, petting, play, and attention. When teaching a dog or a puppy and new cue or skill, food is often the first choice as a reward because of how powerful it can be for the dog. Over time, we begin to “shape” the behaviors we want and begin to fade out the food reinforcement with other reinforcers.