Training Without Treats - Can't go "Cold Turkey"

My favorite way to start my day is doing something with my dogs. Yesterday I set up a Rally course at a nearby library parking lot,  to take turns working each of my 3 dogs, Daisy Mae (GSD), Pirouette (PWC) and Gunny (GSD). Unfortunately I forgot to check my treat supply before I left home...and found out I had one chicken jerky stick total for the three dogs.

Okay...so I would work with lots of praise...and very few treats. This, I found out, was a recipe for disaster! I started with Daisy Mae, my little female GSD who has her Novice title and is almost ready to show in Advanced. She quickly let me  know that without treats...it wasn't happening! Wow...how had she gotten so spoiled?? But then I asked myself...how much time have we spent doing Rally...as opposed to agility?

Next came tiny Pirouette, my Corgi puppy (19 months old). She was raised with a work ethic, and started training the day I got her...at 10 weeks of age.
She did the best of the 3! She worked well for few treats and lots of praise.

Next came Gunny, the newest of the 3, at 3 years of age. He had the best excuse...he was new. He is the biggest and has the attention span of a gnat! He could not do a thing without a treat stuffed in his face.

So..back to the drawing board. We will be doing a lot more Rally and obedience! And using less treats!