This morning at the park, I watched a younger guy trying to teach his Cavapoo how to sit.

Honestly… it was pretty funny.

For me. Not for him.

Because even though the Cavapoo “did what he was supposed to,” it’s going to cause the owner massive migraines later.

The Classic Training Mistake

“Baxter, sit!” the guy shouted, hand raised a couple of feet above the dog’s head.

Baxter stared, head cocked, looking very confused.

“Baxter. Sit!”

No dice.

The owner sighed, hands on his hips, scanning the park like he was waiting for a pro trainer to pop out of the bushes and rescue him.

Then—lightbulb moment.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a little brown dog treat, and extended it toward Baxter.

Before he could say anything—

Baxter plopped his furry butt on the ground, tail wagging like a windshield wiper in a tropical storm.

“Good boy, Baxter!” the guy beamed, petting his pup while feeding him the treat.

Baxter looked thrilled. The owner looked satisfied.

But… do you see the problem?

The “Lure Trap”

Baxter didn’t sit because he knew what sit meant.

He sat because he saw the treat.

His owner made the same mistake most dog owners make—treating treats as BRIBES, not REWARDS.

This is what I call the Lure Trap—when a dog learns to follow food instead of following commands.

It’s a nasty habit to break.

Because the second you run out of treats?

Your dog suddenly “forgets” everything you taught him.

But here’s the good news…

It’s totally fixable.

How to Use Treats the Right Way

I had this same problem when I first trained Moon.

She drove me crazy.

I burned through so many treats trying to get her to listen.

Eventually, I figured out three simple rules that flipped the script:

✅ The Treat Timing Rule – A trick to “hack” your dog’s short-term memory so they actually associate commands with actions.
✅ The Phantom Treat Trick – A method so effective it’s scary.
✅ The Treat Pyramid System – A way to pick the most desirable treats for your dog, so they stay motivated without becoming food-obsessed.

These techniques tap into basic canine psychology… and they work like a charm.

Want a Better-Behaved Dog?

I cover these rules—and 20 more solutions for common puppy training problems—in my upcoming puppy training blueprint.

This guide is designed for real-life dog owners—people who want a well-trained, well-behaved dog that listens because they respect you… not because you have bacon in your pocket.

If you want first dibs on the launch discount before it goes public…

👉 Join my email list now.

Because your dog should listen to YOU—not a treat bag.

Dreaming of pork belly,
Nick