How to teach a dog what a treat is for..?

I bet none of you have any ideas now but thought I would ask!

My Mum's labrador we got in November last year, he's 2 in July. He's so greedy that he sees a treat and pounces on your fingers when its near enough (he can do 'gentle' but is a little selective with it). On a walk he tends to ignore treats and not notice them, then he suddenly sees you have one and goes CHOMP on your hand

Any particular ideas to help him slow down and realise he is getting a treat as a reward and not just because? The way he is in such haste its like he thinks its his food and he must have it asap, not like he's getting it because he is doing well sort of thing.

He is at classes at the minute but they aren't as fantastic as we'd hoped though his attention span is a touch better than it was...

Rupert (my golden retriever) is gentle as anything and knows I get a treat if I'm good and isn't in such a OMG I must have it state when he sees one. But then I've had him from a pup and I'm not sure Milo really had treats before. He came with an ice cream tub which had an opened packet of Pets At Home treats in which expired over a year ago which may be a contributing factor...

Have you tried NILIF?

I wouldnt let him have ANYTHING without having to do somethin for it, make him sit or do a trick before he gets treats, his dinner, his lead clipped on, the door opened, a toy etc etc.

He'll soon realise that these things arent his for the taking and that he has to work for them.

If you're already doing this then I have no idea!

We do use NILIF funnily enough!! He doesn't seem to correlate doing something for getting the treat though and its like he is just totally out of focus and obsessed when food is about. I could call the golden off his dinner and put treats back in my pocket and he'd accept it but the lab would bug me and not leave my side sort of thing.

He is so damned greedy, but it makes training hard because he doesn't seem to realise he gets a treat for it so has little motivation to want to do things

What about clicker training? So he associates treats with the clicker and vice versa?

Have you tried telling him to be gentle and if he is not or goes to snatch it then whip it away quickly.

other than that the NILF is good too. Storm never gets anything without having to wait or work for it.

Yeah he can do gentle but if you don't ask he wont be gentle, he never gets given it when he snatches but it just isn't going in..!

Mum could try clicker training but not convinced she will follow it through, I did buy a clicker when she got him but its never been used..! Not really up my street Rupert never got on with it but it might work for him

when giving him a treat make sure its out of his reach, so cant just take it, be stubborn, dnt give in until he does the command you're after. Also make sure no one else in the house hold is giving the dogs treats for the sake of it

James_Kita wrote:when giving him a treat make sure its out of his reach, so cant just take it, be stubborn, dnt give in until he does the command you're after. Also make sure no one else in the house hold is giving the dogs treats for the sake of it

This is what my approach has been, he works for everything he gets and never gets it until he is gentle, but he's just not learning in this respect. I'm wondering if its a bit of instinct and being fed not very regularly (we got him last November as a 16 month old from a couple who had taught him nothing, he lived outside and if he saw water or food BOOM that was it, gone in 2 seconds flat. He is still quite bad with water too, will drink 2 x 3litre water bowls if you don't distract him..!

Nicked a strawberry out my hand this weekend and snatched Rupert's carrot out my hand today. He gives it back he just does it instantly and then is like uh ohhhhhh he knows he isn't supposed to do it after he has done it but his brain just isn't engaging at the minute..!

Maybe with a bit more maturity, I can hope! He definitely isn't possessive or a guarder at least

Does he get severly told off if he snatches food?

Also I think its a lab thing, our neighbours gold lab is horribly obese, they've got him on a diet, but any food left in reach its gone in 5 seconds or maybe less O_o

James_Kita wrote:Does he get severly told off if he snatches food?

Also I think its a lab thing, our neighbours gold lab is horribly obese, they've got him on a diet, but any food left in reach its gone in 5 seconds or maybe less O_o

No, he gets a verbal correction but I don't know how you can really positively reinforce that he did wrong in that instance, it needs taking back. If he pinches something I just go 'Milo no!' and put my had out for him to drop it which he usually does. Its just that split second that he snatches in

Our labrador is very skinny I must say, he's under 28kgs he's the black lab in my signature. Its not that he is starving because I can tell when he is genuinely hungry and we had a weight battle with him early January where he was eating three times what Rupert was on and was still losing weight 28kgs is quite a nice and stable weight for him really, I don't think he'll ever get to above that.

My golden retriever has never been snatchy with food, he learnt the gentle command and has been perfect ever since sort of thing, the labrador does seem a bit hard headed in that he doesn't really quite understand what you want from him. He had no training when we got him at 16 months and I wonder if the late start makes it that bit harder for him to really 'get' things?

Maybe its just something we'll have to accept with him..!

Try a firm touch to really tell him he is doing something bad.

Some people are against this, I don't really think it does any harm, Unless you are really hitting your dog as hard as you can >_<

What do you mean by a firm touch, where sort of thing?

He's a bit of a sensitive bugger, you tell Rupert to get out and Milo skuttles out tail between his legs thinking you mean him

Rupert isn't really a first dog type of dog I don't have to be heavy with him just as many steps ahead as I can be and he does need a firmer type of training where he's not allowed more than an inch. Milo is a first dog kind of boy do whatever you say if I understand it but I probably don't sort of thing! He's at obedience classes to try help him and his balance has improved but he just isn't getting so many things...I think as Rupert is such an intelligent dog I find it hard to realise that Milo finds things hard which Rupert finds very basic...

Sorry I'm rambling, I find Milo quite a difficult dog to train really he's upskittled by everything and its hard to be particularly patient with him being so tizzy! Ah well He's my Mum's dog but she doesn't really know much about training and is learning a little here and there hence why a lot of it is down to me.

Thanks for your replies

Florence24 wrote:What do you mean by a firm touch, where sort of thing?

He's a bit of a sensitive bugger, you tell Rupert to get out and Milo skuttles out tail between his legs thinking you mean him

Rupert isn't really a first dog type of dog I don't have to be heavy with him just as many steps ahead as I can be and he does need a firmer type of training where he's not allowed more than an inch. Milo is a first dog kind of boy do whatever you say if I understand it but I probably don't sort of thing! He's at obedience classes to try help him and his balance has improved but he just isn't getting so many things...I think as Rupert is such an intelligent dog I find it hard to realise that Milo finds things hard which Rupert finds very basic...

Sorry I'm rambling, I find Milo quite a difficult dog to train really he's upskittled by everything and its hard to be particularly patient with him being so tizzy! Ah well He's my Mum's dog but she doesn't really know much about training and is learning a little here and there hence why a lot of it is down to me.

Thanks for your replies

literally just a poke to the neck followed by a stern no! and a look, As you said he's abit sensative so I'm sure he will get the idea.

All dogs WILL learn eventually... just takes time and effort. Just no giving in cause once he knows he can win you round.... well your stuffed

It took me near on 2 weeks of constant training to teach sakari PAW (doesnt help shes stubborn and fussy with treats)... even now, it theres a distraction e.g, another dog... she doesnt even notice im speaking. James can vouch for that lol. Dam kita being a distraction in class

Persist and you will be rewarded. If not then............................

I found this online, it may be worth a try?


You'll need to work with your dog everyday until he or she "gets it". Don't give your dog a treat any other way than what is stated below, except for food you put in his or her dish. Consistency and repetition are important in training.

2
Instead of handing the treat to your dog, make a fist around the treat.

3
Still holding the treat in your fist, palm down, allow your dog to sniff the back of your hand for a minute or two.

4
Roll your hand over and open your palm, allowing the dog to take the treat from your open palm.

Ooh thanks for that Tikaani&Aiyana looks good!

He does get consistency that's for sure, its just the brain coming into play he seems to be lacking! Golden was like that when younger but grew up and matured learning as he went, Milo is just taking rather a long time and goes back quite a few steps for no apparent reason at times!

I can vouch for that Javiel

Kita can be the same she will listen if the reward is a treat and will if theres no distrations, if there are I can only get her to listen with treats!

But yeah let us know how it goes it over the next couple weeks

I have to say I don't expect to have a huge amount to report in the next couple of weeks! Can hope though

Florence24 wrote:I have to say I don't expect to have a huge amount to report in the next couple of weeks! Can hope though

haha Keep at it Flo! it'll get there!

Really wouldn't bank on it lmao! It doesn't really matter, it was a topic to get people nattering anyway

Haha

Haha you don't half write some random posts sometimes

Random? no I don't


did you know that Hyenas are not part of the Canine Species, they are actually more closely related to Meerkats and Mongooses!

I have to say I would have never thought hyenas were related to canines, but in the same breath I would have had no idea what they are related too

That wasn't random, that was still vaguely dog related I supposeeeeeee

Jambalaya!