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First experiment a little and find out what your dog likes best. Our boys like "No Grainers" which are obviously, grain free and contain no artificial additives. They are all natural and semi soft. We chose the chicken variety the first time and ended up coming back to it after trying the fish flavor. Let's just say, one of us has a bad gag reflex and there is just something about giving your dog something that smells like dead fish and makes your hands smell that way too that changes your treat choice pretty quickly. We came back to the chicken variety and haven't strayed from it since. We found ours at www.Amazon.com and if you're interested, you can too.
Some dogs like squeaky toys and others love a tennis ball. Ours love any toy but lose interest in them much more quickly than food. With regard to food and toys you can try any or all of the following alternatives:
- Low fat cheese (1/4" cubes or less) - mozzarella and string cheese are great choices
- Squeeze Cheese - works great and once your dog learns to take it from the nozzle - no mess for you either
- Boiled Chicken Breast Pieces
- Turkey Frank "Hot Dog" Slices - precut or break them off in your hand as you go
- Homemade Dog Goodies
- and Even Their Regular Dog Food
- Food Stuffed Toys (like "Kong") are great ways to get and hold your dog's interest. Our boys are chewers and "Kong" is virtually indestructible. You can find this at Mutt Mart by clicking this link.
- Fleece Toys, Nylon Bones, etc.
We have found that our dogs prefer food to toys. However if your dog is an exception, just roll with it. :o)
Since dogs have evolved from hunters to pets, they don't have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from. However, dogs are always on high alert; always be looking for and receptive to times when "extra" food is available. Just think about the last time you accidentally dropped something on the floor and how quickly they will scoop it up. The point is not that the food is special, but that your dog responds to it.
One note of caution...if you use food for a reward, please be sure to compensate at mealtime; meaning cut back by the amount you used as training rewards from their meal. Another way around this is to schedule their training session around their mealtime. This takes all of the guesswork out of it and keeps your training time fun!
Most dogs that are "grabby" or "nippy" are the result of a less than confident owner pulling their hand back thinking that they may be bit. The truth is you can teach your dog to take food gently from your fingers by making sure they have contact with your fingers. If they are too aggressive and involve their teeth in this process, then hang onto the food tighter until they realize they need to be gentle and then you will release the food.
If you find that they are still too rough or you have too sensitive fingers, put the food on a spoon and put your thumb over the piece of food. The only thing in your hand should be the "bowl" of the spoon and your thumb. If your dog tries to take the food to roughly (biting down) they will bite down on the spoon. Just trust us when we tell you, they don't like this. Remove your thumb only when they become gentle. You really won't have to say anything in the form of reinforcement (although a "Good Dog" would certainly be appropriate), your dog will quickly figure out what is the right amount of pressure and will learn to take the food from you in a gentle way.
Now let's start with the basic "Give the Toy Back" or the beginning basic breakdown of retriever training. Keep in mind this is as important for them to learn as it is for you to teach them. You never know when a dog is going to pick something up that is undesirable (dead animals and remote controls come to mind) and you want them to learn to release it without a tug of war or catch-me-if-you-can game.
As I mentioned, our dogs love almost all of their toys and are more interested in pleasing us than which toy they happen to have. Obviously you want to practice this exercise when your dog is in a calm state and not on a full-out rip! Start with a toy and a handful of treats.
Your dog should be on a leash for this exercise. This way, there is no opportunity for them to run off with the thing that you want them to release. Begin by giving them the toy and say "Take" until they get a good grip. Then show them a treat. When they take the treat and begin to release the toy say "Release" or "Let Go" or "Drop It". You choose the words but be consistent. As soon as they release the toy say "Yes" or "Good Dog" making sure they get the praise that all dogs love.
Next try the same thing with another toy and another until your dog loses interest (you will know when to say when). Practice this exercise 3-5 times a day. If your dog ever bites down on any part of you rather than letting go, stop the training immediately. Applying a bit of bitter apple to your hands is a very good way to make sure your dog won't repeat the action. When your dog can consistently release 9 out of 10 times, you have succeeded and can take the food reward away or put it on a random basis so your dog never knows when the next treat is coming.
This concludes the basic "Give The Toy Back" training. If you have questions or run into problems, drop us an email and we'll be happy to try and help you out.
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