Chocolate, Celery, & Hot Dogs: Finding Your Dog’s Ultimate Reward

Would You Believe It?

Would you believe there are people in the world—on this exact planet right here—who don’t like chocolate? We were shocked when we found out. Absolutely shocked!

As wrong-headed as we think those people might be, we know that nothing we say or do will change their minds. They’re entitled to feel how they feel, and to express that however they like.

What they can’t do is convince us that apple pie, delightful as it may be, is better than chocolate brownies. Because everyone has unique tastes and preferences.

To Each Their Own

What does our chocolate obsession have to do with dog training? It’s a prime example of the "treat hierarchy" in action. If you want something from us, offering chocolate will instantly get our attention. You still may not get what you want, but it’s definitely under consideration!

Think of it like work: If your boss needs you to rush a special project before a tight deadline, you’d be motivated to get it done on time if a bonus was attached. If that bonus is a free lunch, that’s nice. If the bonus is a thousand dollars, that’s motivation.

You can tailor your training sessions based on the rewards you choose:

• Refreshing or practicing familiar games: A mid-grade reward works just fine.
• Introducing a brand-new game or behavior: A top-tier reward (like Chicken Heart Treats or hot dogs) keeps your dog locked in. Even if they don’t quite understand yet, they’ll keep trying to figure out what earns that highly prized jackpot. A quick pat on the head or a lukewarm "good dog" just won't cut it.

You Don’t Get To Choose

The tricky part is figuring out your dog’s unique treat pyramid—because your dog decides what's valuable, not you.

Hope’s French Bulldog, Torque, would walk through fire for a piece of celery. Fran’s Boston Terrier, Booker, thinks celery is pooky crap. We know because he told us so.

Food-motivated dogs are a joy to train. As long as you have the goods, you have their full attention. To keep things extra exciting, try mixing together a "trail mix" of different treats. Dogs love the element of surprise when they don't know what delicious morsel is coming next!

What If Your Dog Isn't Food-Motivated?

Some dogs don’t really care much about treats. If that describes your dog, it’s up to you to find the non-food trigger that gets them excited to play with you. For some, it’s a favorite tug toy; for others, it’s a ball.

Whatever floats your dog’s boat, the key is for you to stay central to the reward. That’s why ball-obsessed dogs can be tricky—the reward is the ball moving away from you.

The simple fix: For training games, use a special ball with a rope attached. Turning your fetching dog into a tugging dog keeps the connection centered right between the two of you!

What’s Your Dog’s Ultimate Motivation?

What works best to keep your dog engaged? If they’re food-motivated, what’s their top-tier jackpot treat—and what’s the one food they turn their nose up at? If they prefer toys, are they tug-obsessed or ball-crazy?

Drop a comment below and let us know!