If you have a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier you know what loving dogs come from this breed. As loving and playful as he may be, compliance is often not his strong suit and this makes training a Wheaten a challenge sometimes.

We have found that reward training, which is a very popular training method with professional dog trainers, is ideal for the Wheaten. The concept is simple: and, during the training session he is rewarded with a tasty treat and lots of praise and affection when he does what you asked him to do.

Reward training is 180 degrees from aversion therapy. With aversion therapy the therapist trains humans to associate something bad with doing something they are attempting to avoid: lighting up a cigarette for example. Reward training for your dog gets him to associate correct action with something good: a bit of dried liver or some other favorite food of his.

The training will be nullified if the dog is given treats outside his training routine. This makes him think treats are free. Remember the training adage "Nothing In Life Is Free." Before you give your dog anything such as food, a treat, a walk, even affection, he must first perform one of the commands you have taught him.

Reward training is not for everyone. Some owners don't like this training because the dog is clearly responding to the expectation of a treat instead of responding out of respect for his owner. I have used it successfully in years past and the dog never forgot his lessons, even in old age. The treats did not go along with the action after the commands were thoroughly ingrained. This method training is ideal for the Wheaten since they do not respond well to punishments, such as being shouted at or smacked. Nor do they respond positively to long training sessions.

If you want to train a Wheaten in a manner that is enjoyable for you and him then using the reward training system may be just you are looking for.