Training Aids, the pro's and con's

A training aid is an item used to help guide a dog through the desired behavior. Examples include:
Front and finish boxes
Guides for go-outs
Targets

Generally, the best approach to teaching a new behavior is to do it with the fewest aids possible. The biggest reason to avoid training aids is the fact that once you teach a behavior with them, you have to wean the aids away. Often during this weaning process, the behavior falls apart.

When should you use a training aid? A good rule of thumb is if you cannot get success in 3 tries, you need to back up in your training plan or change something you are doing. For example, you are teaching a straight front. You are unable to obtain a good response with a method such as luring or utilizing a clicker for quickly increasing the criteria for straight sits. Your dog clearly does NOT have an understanding that a straight front is the proper behavior (therefore you should not be using corrections). Now I would add in a training aid. I would try to use my body first (placing my feet out in front of me to force the dog to come in straight). If that was not successful, I might employ a PVC frame box for the dog to sit in. I place it in front of me and teach the dog to hop in and sit. The pro is you get the behavior you needed to create. The con is - now you have to get rid of the box and keep the straight fronts.

So, think before you automatically use an aid. Be creative. If you can teach something without aids, try that approach first.