Safety Measures or a Crutch?

My dog, Mollie, and I put a good number of miles in walking our neighborhood.  She, at times, has been a very reactive dog; needing to bark at every dog we see. While she is in general a good walker, (doesn't pull on the leash and such) she can get a bit too interested in stinky things along the way. Over time, it has become habit for me to always have dog treats along, and to use them for distraction from other dogs or to get her back on track.

Yesterday, we set off on our first walk of the day, and after a few blocks I realized I had no treats!  Ack.  I almost turned back.  That is how strong my reliance on those treats can be.  Mollie realized, rather quickly, that I had no treats. Ack.  We proceeded to have the most lovely walk!  I was more focused on keeping her on track, and caught any unwanted behavior before she settled in to it. It made me realize  how many of Mollie's behaviors had become about getting the treat.  Right?  If she gets to snuffly looking for cat poo in leaves, she'll get a treat.  Talk about a win/win. Either cat poo or a treat!  We met two other dogs on our side of the street, whom we greeted politely and moved on.

As a parent, we've all had that crutch. If "it" gets really bad, I can always use the favorite blanket, bottle, nursing etc.   Indeed, having a Plan B is a wise parenting strategy.

I am one who likes to have a contingency, or next thing, in reserve. When camping, I always want one more warm layer, so if it gets really bad I can go to that.  I did though recently relent and put on that last layer. Ahhh. Warm and cozy.  Or how about when I quit smoking many years ago.  I carried a pack of cigarettes for almost a year.  Temptation?  Nope, my back up.  If "it" got really bad, I'd have cigarettes with me.  I never did smoke one.

Contingency? Plan B? Crutch?   Do these things allow us to be sloppy in our endeavors since we have a back up plan?   How does having a contingency plan affect your behavior?  And would you do a better job without that back up?