#but combinining it with weight pull is new and bringing a much higher result of engagement

[darkwood-sleddog]

i've been doing weight pull with the dogs multiple times per week followed by an obedience session in the yard and i've noticed, interestingly, that they are more engaged with me all the time now? now i do use treats while training for weight pull because i only use it as a conditioning tool, but i think the combined reward of treat + getting to pull has been really beneficial in building this super high engagement (especially from sigurd, who is notoriously my worst recaller, but has been turning on a dime and checking in without blowing me off once ever...).

training for dryland and sled work i know my dogs find pulling really rewarding, if not more rewarding than treats, but i don't think i was really combining that high reward into obedience work until now. like no treat means more than getting to pull, but the combination of pulling + treat, even when pulling is not 100% involved = highly increased reward.