Why we use food in class

Food is a requirement for ALL life. Therefore, all life has evolved with an intrinsic, genetic motivation to work for food. Dogs that were not interested in food did not survive or have offspring.

Therefore your dog MUST have come from a long-line of food-loving dogs!  Your dog may also love ATTENTION (pets & praise) and/or TOYS (balls, squeakers, tug-ropes) when at home or in the park, but these items are hard to repeat and/or deliver quickly in a group setting. All DogEvolve classes will include information on “real-life rewards” as replacements for food rewards as appropriate in the training process. However, please bring food to every class.

We don’t want your dogs to get fat, and neither should you!  Please DON’T FEED your dogs prior to coming to class.  Skipping a meal before class will have HUGE BENEFITS to you and your dog -it’s not cruel, its clever motivation.  Instead of feeding the food to your dog before class, BRING IT TO CLASS!  While some dogs will work for their dry food in class, most need a novel food item when around other dogs and distractions… bring the kibble, but don’t forget the bag of tasty treat-rewards!