Puppy Won't Listen Without Treats? Here's How to Phase Out Treats in Dog Training

Update: 2025-09-09

Description

If your puppy won't listen unless you’ve got a treat in hand, you’re in the right place.

I’m diving into one of the most common concerns I hear from dog owners: the frustration of feeling stuck in endless treat training puppy mode. You’ll learn why your pup might ignore you unless food is in sight - and what to do about it.

We’ll cover what happens when your dog becomes “treat dependent”, how to get treats out of your hand without losing progress, and how to make dog training more reliable, even when you're empty-handed.

You’ll also get a simple 14-day step-by-step plan to start making the transition to dog training without treats - in a way that works and keeps things fun for both of you.

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel way more confident about reward training for dogs, understand how your puppy’s brain works, and finally know how to ditch the treats without losing their attention.

Here’s what we’ll explore in this episode:

Why your puppy won't listen unless there’s food around - and what it really means about your training process
How to use the "slot machine" method to make treat training puppy more effective
When it’s safe to start dog training without treats - and when doing it too soon could cause your training to backfire
Why reward training for dogs is about so much more than food - and how to use toys, play, and praise as powerful motivators
My 14-day plan for reward training for dogs that takes you from treat-every-time to real-life rewards that last

Knowing how to shift from treat training puppy mode to solid, reliable behaviors is a game changer. If your puppy wont listen, don’t worry. I’ve helped hundreds of dog owners work through this, and with the right strategy, you can too.

Listen now and grab your 14-day treat fading plan to start transforming your dog training without treats journey today.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

14 Day Treat Fading Plan

Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence Program

Connect with Staci Lemke:

Website - www.mannersformutts.com

Instagram & Facebook @mannersformutts