-
Hard mouth!
This seems so basic but im
just not sure how to teach a dog to take treats gently!!! How do you do it?
-
4 Replies
-
Hi @AnnaBee ,
I usually begin in a calm setting with the dog’s regular kibble or ordinary treats. I will hold one piece securely in my fingers (no way for dog to get it), remain still, and only release it when I feel just the dog’s lips or tongue on my hand. No teeth. Repeat. Before long, the dog defaults to no teeth and the food flows steadily, one piece at a time. If desired, you can then attach a cue to this behavior, like “gentle.”
Then practice in other settings, practice cold trials, and gradually practice in situations where dog is more excited. When excited, aroused, or nervous, it’s not uncommon for dog to revert back to grabbing. But it is immediate feedback to try to adjust the training scenario so the dog is more likely to succeed.
If the dog is very rough with his mouth, you could wear gloves for the first session or two.
-
Thank you!!!! This is very helpful
-
Let us know how it goes!
-
-
-
Oooh! I’ve actually been working on this one with my food-crazed pup, Magic. She acted like every bit of food is her last and that she’s not eaten in a month. Snatchy!!!
After I made this post where lots of you joined in with ideas, I ended up doing a game with her for every treat.
It’s an impulse control game I saw at a puppy class once – I didn’t like it at first, honestly, because it seemed like “teasing” but with Magic, it’s worked wonders.
The pup sits. You take a treat in the tips of your fingers (like most people do) and hold it high over her head. As long as she doesn’t reach for it at all, the treat keeps descending. If her chin comes up even a little from that initial look up, then the treat retreats/goes higher. At first, I had to make the last several inches toward her nose go rather quickly because I wanted to avoid her frustration. When I do drop the hand, I aim for under her chin so she’s receiving the reward lower than she was looking, which will help her keep her chin down.
She’s staring to lie down when she sees a treat. ????
She’s only 7 months old and I realize that she’ll have to practice this for at least another 7 months to get it more solid, and that it may pop up anytime she’s excited because this is WHO SHE IS, but I’m trying to help her learn to stop and think rather than just react to the sight of a yummy treat. I’m seeing progress! Good luck with your pup too!
Log in to reply.