Joan the Dog Coach
Most dogs can take treats from human hands without causing discomfort. However, some dogs can be more ‘shark-like’ and tend to take treats a little harder than we can tolerate, mostly because they haven’t learned otherwise. This exuberance is often normal dog behavior, especially if the food item is of higher value, but those hard mouths and sharp teeth can be tough on our tender human hands!
It’s important we take the time to teach our dogs behaviors we want to see repeated, and allow them to practice the concept that taking things gently from us predicts good things for them.
Harness Your Efforts
Let’s face it, if dogs were born with a strong foundation of self-control, well, they wouldn’t really be dogs, would they? Self-control is an important skill for dogs to learn, not only for establishing good manners, but also for safety and preventing injury (to people and pets!). The goal is to help your inquisitive canine slow things down so he or she can think before reacting instinctively. Best of all, teaching these types of life skills- while having fun- will help enhance the bond you share!
Reward What You Like
An initial step in any dog training plan is determining what it is you want your dog to do. So, first figure out what it is you want your pup to do when you present and deliver a scrumptious treat, and then teach the skills needed to achieve success.
Again, as you reinforce the behaviors you like, they’ll happen more often. That’s just the science of behavior. It can be tempting to focus on what our dogs are doing wrong, but it’s much more helpful to focus on what we would like them to do and then lovingly teach them.
Training Games
Gamification is a great way to reinforce dogs for being patient and making good choices! The following game is designed to encourage dogs to wait politely and take treats gently, as opposed to jumping up, knocking someone over, and/or grabbing fingers or hands.
Choose a healthy treat or other type of approved food that comes in smaller pieces; kibble, dry treats, small pieces of vegetables or lean meats are some examples. Then, practice the following exercise many times with your puppy or adult dog until their use of a gentle mouth becomes second nature:
- Holding one piece of food at a time, enclose it in your hand and present it to your dog — keep the piece of food covered so he can’t grab it.
- Fido will likely try to take the food from you, mouthing, licking, and even pawing.
- Keep your hand closed and be patient.
- As soon as your dog “gives up” and pulls his mouth (and/or paw) away from your hand, present the food using an open palm.Once your dog has consumed this piece, ‘rinse and repeat’ the game from the beginning.
- With time, your dog will soon learn to have some control and wait for the “reward” to be presented, as opposed to just grabbing it willy-nilly.
- Once your dog is waiting patiently, allowing you to present the morsel, you can then add a cue word such as “Gentle” before presenting a treat.
Keep in mind, some dogs’ mouths get a bit harder and more grabby when they’re excited or aroused. It’s important to first practice this game when they’re calm, relaxed and not stressed. This way, they’re more likely to take treats gently and learn the game!
Also, to help your pup generalize this skill, practice with varied types of treats, some lower value, some higher value. Practice in different contexts (varying times, locations, etc.) and then with different (willing) people offering treats and rewarding “Gentle.” To make it a little more challenging, increase the distance from where you begin presenting your hand, so pup has to wait longer for the treat to be delivered.
One way to determine if your dog is understanding this new skill is to observe. Are they waiting for you to present the food to them, or are they still going after your hand? Staying patient while the hand is coming towards them is what you’ll want to look for and continue to train — this is impulse control in action!
A great way to work practice into your busy schedule is to use this game to feed your dog part (or all) of a meal, as long as the type of food he or she is eating works in this context. (Wet messy food might be more of a challenge for you.)
If you are consistent and practice the ‘Gentle’ cue frequently, you should notice a difference in the way your dog takes food from your hands, even after just a couple of weeks.
Here’s to bringing out the best in our best friends!
The Inquisitive Canine was founded by Santa Barbara certified canine behavior consultant and certified professional dog trainer Joan Hunter Mayer. Joan and her team are devoted to offering humane, pawsitive, practical solutions that work for the challenges dogs and their humans face in everyday life. Joan offers coaching both in-person and online. If you are feeling inquisitive and have dog training questions, we invite you to contact The Inquisitive Canine for A Pawsitive Approach for Positive Results ™.
