Hi, I’m Lee Seibold, owner of Lee’s Dog Training. For over 11 years, I’ve worked with thousands of dog owners to help them establish genuine control over their pets, building relationships based on respect and trust. A well-trained dog is an obedient dog, and obedience is essential for a peaceful, fulfilling life together. However, a major trend in dog training today—treat-based, “positive only” training—often leads dog owners down a path that actually undermines true obedience.

The Problem with Treat-Based Training

Today’s mainstream advice often recommends treat-based methods, relying on food to coax dogs into obedience. While this might appear harmless or even compassionate, it has unintended consequences. Relying on treats alone doesn’t establish you as a leader; in fact, it can do the opposite. In the world of dogs, food is controlled by leaders. By giving treats to gain obedience, you’re inadvertently signaling to your dog that they hold a degree of control over you. Over time, this can weaken their respect for you as their leader, ultimately leading to a decline in obedience.

The truth is, dogs are more naturally obedient when they view you as a clear, confident leader. Treats don’t create this perception of leadership; instead, they shift focus away from you and onto the treats. If your dog only listens when you have treats or is more interested in distractions than your commands, then the training has failed to instill genuine obedience.

Leadership Through Communication, Not Bribery

Real leadership doesn’t come from bribery or rewards; it’s built through consistent body language, effective communication, and the fair execution of training techniques. Dogs respect leaders who set boundaries and exhibit confidence. By leading this way, you teach your dog that you’re in control, creating a relationship based on trust and respect rather than rewards.

This is where many treat-based methods fall short. These methods often teach dogs to “perform” when food is involved but fail to create real-world reliability. I call it life avoidance training when people cross the street to avoid distractions or turn their back on a dog’s bad behavior, simply to avoid addressing issues head-on. This kind of avoidance only reinforces bad habits. When real-life situations arise, like encountering another dog or unexpected guests, treats won’t always be enough to keep your dog’s attention or maintain their obedience.

A Real-World Example: The Downside of Life Avoidance Training

Let me share a personal example. One day, a young boy accidentally jumped my fence, landing in my yard. He was scared and explained he’d been running from another dog. What he didn’t realize was that he’d just entered a yard with six of my dogs. Luckily, my dogs were well-trained and responded calmly, because they understand that I am their leader.

If I were the type of trainer who relied on treats or avoided kids because one of my dogs was “kid aggressive,” the situation could have been dangerous. In moments like these, there’s no time for avoidance or treats; the only thing that matters is having established leadership and obedience long before such situations arise.

Why Treats Can Undermine Obedience

Using treats to gain obedience introduces an unreliable element. If a dog wants something more than the treat, or if you don’t have treats on hand, you’re left without control. Treats become a distraction from the actual relationship between you and your dog. And since dogs view food as something controlled by their leader, relying on treats positions you as the “follower” in their eyes, not the leader.

Ironically, a training approach that is heavy on treats can lead to a decline in respect. Dogs recognize when you’re offering food to get them to obey, and in the dog world, this is not how a true leader behaves. Leadership is about setting boundaries, reinforcing positive behaviors, and calmly redirecting undesirable actions—not bribing with food.

My Training Approach: Building Lasting Obedience Through Leadership

In my training, I don’t use treats. Instead, I focus on building a dog’s respect for their owner as a strong, capable leader. This approach is fast, effective, and reliable because it fosters a genuine bond of trust and authority between you and your dog. Through clear body language, consistent commands, and fair correction, we teach dogs to listen and respond because they respect you—not because they’re waiting for a treat.

This is what creates a stable, obedient dog. Life is unpredictable, and your dog should be able to respond to commands in any situation, treat or no treat. With real leadership, your dog learns to look to you for direction, even in challenging scenarios, without the need for bribery or “life avoidance” tactics.

Why Choose Lee’s Dog Training?

If you’re tired of unreliable treat-based training and want an approach that works in the real world, I’m here to help. My training method is proven across thousands of cases, helping dog owners gain the control and confidence they need. With a focus on real leadership, my clients enjoy life with obedient, well-mannered dogs who respect them as leaders—not as treat dispensers.

Ready for Real Obedience?

If you’re ready to leave behind unreliable, treat-based training and establish a bond based on true respect, reach out to me and let’s get started.