Feeding Your Dogs Treats

[Dogz]

I was just giving Chubby some treats. I held the treat out the long way, so he could have plenty of room to grab it without grabbing my fingers along with it, but of course he got my fingers too. So, I took another treat and lay it flat on my hand. He tried to bite my whole hand.

Does your dog do this?

Is there another way I can try to feed him treats?

Is there a way to make him stop?

Thank you!

[wolfie]

I'm not really sure how to train a dog to take food gently...

Daphne is VERY gentle when she takes food. No one ever trained her that though. You could have your hand covered in meat (um, somehow. it's just theoretical! lol) and she'll lick it off, and you won't get a scratch.

My mom's dog on the other hand, will bite your whole hand off. And she's a little 10lb Shih Tzu! We just drop treats on the floor or in her bowl for her.

The only thing I can think of is to train him to catch the treat, or teach him 'wait' and put the treat on the ground or something, then tell him 'okay' when he's allowed to eat it.

[tutebugs]

I think if you just say *gentle* as you have the treat in their hand they may catch onto taking it nicely? Or maybe saying *OUCH* when they get your hand? Chipper is a very well trained dog, we haven't had to train him to do anything. He takes treats nicely, comes when called, listens very very well, and does some tricks.

[Shelteez2]

I don't have a dog that's grabby with treats, but I'll tell you about a method that I've heard works for this problem.

First though I'll let you know why dogs with this problem seem to get worse quickly.
Someone gives the dog a treat and he entusiastically grabs a finger. They give him another treat and same thing...well that happens enough and the person giving the treat becomes hesitant about giving it. Afterall they like their fingers. So they caution "beeee niiiice..." and slowly bring the treat down. The dog makes a move forward and the person pulls the treat back to prevent their fingers from being chewed. The person puts the treat down and the dog lunges forward even more excitedly, so the person pulls back the treat again. By this time the dog is so worked up because it can see.smell the treat but is being teased with it. It is hard at this point to get the dog to settle down enough to take the treat.

So the solution I have heard of is to take your hand and push it into the dogs mouth quickly. The dog does not want to eat your hand, he just gets too excited, so he will back off to get your yucky hand out of it's mouth at which point you can open your hand and release the treat. Your hand is really close to the dog's mouth so there is no need for it to lunge for the treat. it should only take a few sessions of spitting out your hand before your dog learns to back off until the treat is within taking distance. You can also put a command to it, like easy or be nice or gentle.

Another way to train that command is to hold the treat in a closed fist and let the dog sniff it, but not get it. The moment the dog backs off you open the hand and give the dog the treat.

You can also do that with clicker training.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

[binka_nugget]

I used the last method that Shelteez mentioned. Kai was taught as a pup to "Leave it". I'd hold a smelly treat in my hand (usually dried liver) then wait until he eased off and opened my fist to let him get the treat. If he started getting too excited, I'd close it back and wait until he eased off again. I did the same for Kaedyn, it worked really well for him.

[dragondawg]

Before giving the treat, get the dog in a sitting position. Then place the index finger of the other hand on his nose. Tap gently once and say "easy"- offering the treat with the other hand. If the dog lunches, withdraw the treat, and tap hard on the nose with a more loud "EASY". Dogs do not like to have their nose tapped (i.e. it emulates mommy dog biting them on the nose as pups). As you start to bring the treat back into range, if the dog even is beginning to act like it's going to come forward, tap the nose again gently, with "eh,easy". Once you have its full nose like attention it's much less likely to make a lunge for the other hand. If it should that calls for a very forceful tap on the nose, and a "NO". Using this technique, I've seen some "snappers" literally try to lick the treat from the fingers.

[cali]

I trained my dogs to take nice, by placing the treat in my palm and closing my fist around it. the dog can do nothing of sniff your hand, once they have sniffed your hand say "take nice" and open your palm leaving your hand totally flat, it will be extremly diffcult for the dog to snap when there nose is already on your palm when you open your fist.

[buddy's mom]

Buddy is very gentle taking anything from anyone. We have 6 grandchildren and started when he was a puppy. If he didn't take it "nice" we pulled it back and tried again saying "nice" when he took it nice we let him have it. This worked for us. Some dogs just have a soft mouth. I think sometimes it it just making them slow down enough to be more careful.

[tatsxxx11]

My Lab Star is a BIG chow hound. And given the opporunity, she would grab at any treat. But, I taught her since puppyhood, that while taking any food from my hand she do it gently; and she does! I can even put a piece of kibble between my lips and she'll gently try to nibble it away with the command, "Gentle". I used many of the techniques already mentioned. I kept a piece of kibble grasped firmly between my fingers or in the palm of my hand, fist closed. She could smell it but was not able to grab it. I would tell her to sit, putting her in a submissive pose and say "gentle," "no biting" and she would use a very gentle mouth to try and nibble it away. I would then gradually open my hand and with time, she would very gently take it from me. Actually, as a puppy, I taught her always to take anything from my hands gently. When she was in the chewing phase (and my fingers were a favorite object!) I would draw my hand away quickly and say loudly "OUCH!!!!!!!" "No biting!!!" "No hurt Mommy." Today, I can take a marrow bone out of her mouth with that command. You['ve gotten a lot of good advice. Let us know how it goes!

[Dogz]

I have worked with Chubby on this. I did what cali said, and it worked very well. If any of the boys get excited when I want to give them a treat, I use this method.

dragondawg- Yes, I know that Chubby would not enjoy being tapped on the nose, and that is why I didn't use that method. He should be able to enjoy his treat time, in my opinion. Another reason I did not use this method is because I think he would get excited if I did this, and then just makes him more grabby.

Thanks for the ideas everyone! Now they can take treats nicely, and not bite momma's fingers off!

[3320]

their probley is no way to stop him from biting your hand but if you lay the treat on ground he cant hert you.

[Dogz]

Actually yes there is a way, and I have gotten many ways to work with them. They are smart dogs. No need to be so negative.

[binka_nugget]

Originally posted by 3320
their probley is no way to stop him from biting your hand but if you lay the treat on ground he cant hert you.

There ARE ways to not have a dog bite your hand as it takes treats. My dogs are great at this. All you need is patience and a right method.

[slleipnir]

Josie use to do this.. I tought her the command 'Nice' or 'Gentle' I'd go to give her the treat, and if she grabbed my fingers too I'd say 'Nice' or whatever, but not give her the treat. And whenever she did it right she would get the treat. It worked for me

[WWFanz]

Occassionally when my dogs take try to take their treat aggressively, I pull the treat away and say "no" in a commanding, but gentle voice. I then pull the treat back out slowly and give one to Griz, to show Kody that I mean to take it gently before I give one to him.