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Save fingers: Teach dog to take treats gently

Not all dogs are born with a “soft mouth.” Breeds like the golden retriever or cocker spaniel have a genetic advantage in this area because they have been developed to pick up and carry birds without bruising the tender breast meat.

Many dogs, however, seem to be determined to get a piece of finger along with the treats we offer. Puppies can be especially challenging because they have such sharp “milk teeth.”

Another problem is that once you have been nipped hard while giving a treat, your reaction often is to hesitate or even pull away because of the fear of being nipped again.

These hesitant and halting behaviors by the dog owner when offering treats tend to fuel the dog’s grabby behavior.

While it’s uncomfortable to have your fingers nipped while you are training your dog to take treats gently, it’s downright miserable to ignore training and have your fingers nipped for years.

To overcome your dog’s nipping habit, use only very small bits of food that you can cover up entirely with your thumb and fingers. This will ensure that your dog always has to make contact with your fingers.

I know that sounds counterintuitive, but the only way to teach your dog to be gentle with you is to allow him to nip as usual while you are training.

If he goes for the treat roughly, don’t take your hand away – that will entice him to go after the treat with more determination. Simply keep the treat there and hold on tighter to the small piece of food. Wait for him to put his mouth on your fingers gently before releasing the food.

Most dogs quickly figure out what gets them the good things in life – in this case, it’s the treat in your fingers. If he barks or paws at your hand, ignore the behavior (ignored behaviors should lessen and then disappear), and remain still and quiet.

Training for a soft mouth should be done independently of any other training. If you are working on the “down” command, for instance, and are nipped while giving a reward for that skill, you will be rewarding both the nip and the down as you release the treat.

Once your dog takes treats gently, you can begin to train other skills. Also, you can jump-start your dog’s soft-mouth training by feeding your dog his meals, one kibble at a time, with this method. After just a few days, you should have a dog that consistently takes treats gently.

For dogs with overly hard mouths or for people with very tender fingers, place the treat onto the bowl of a spoon with the handle pointed up your wrist. Cover the treat with your thumb and pull it up to the point where the handle meets the bowl. Hold the treat there and offer it to your dog as usual. If your dog attempts to take the treat gently, slide it down and release it to him. If he grabs for the treat roughly, let him have only the spoon. The discomfort of teeth on spoon can help your dog learn to be consistently gentle, even when he is excited or distracted.

Neither of the above techniques requires a command; after all, taking treats gently should be something your dog does automatically. Be patient, work consistently and you will enjoy giving your dog treats for the rest of his life.

Julie Winkelman is a certified pet dog trainer and a certified dog trainer. Reach her at retinc@frontier.net.



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