Teaching Your Dog to Take Treats Gently

Ouch! If your dog takes treats from your fingers roughly, you know the feeling. Before punishing dogs for this behavior, understand that dogs haven’t read an etiquette guide teaching them proper manners around food. When dogs see a treat they like, they take it vigorously until they’re taught to take treats nicely. Try these dog training tips to teach your dog to take treats gently.

Polite Manners Please

We love holding small pieces of food between our fingers. It’s a natural behavior used when handing another person something small or eating finger foods. However, some dogs don’t understand how to remove food held between two fingers. They either snap at your fingers or place their mouth over your fingers and remove the treat with their tongue. Either way, it can be painful or scary. Hence, the importance of teaching your dog to take treats gently.

Put Out an Open Hand

In the beginning, place dog treats on your open flat palm. If you’ve fed horses treats before, it’s the same technique. An open palm creates a flat surface that keeps fingers out of the way and minimizes nibbles and bites. Plus, most dogs will use their tongues to grab a treat from your open palm instead of their teeth. By feeding large or small treats from your hand, your dog is learning to slow down and take treats gently.

By using the open hand technique, you’ll notice your dog taking his time to remove a treat from your hand. While holding your palm upwards, cup your hand slightly and offer your dog a treat. Slowly cup your upturned hand further, so your dog learns to softly search and grasp the treat in your hand.

Also, when guests come over and want to offer your dog a treat, always advise them to use the open hand technique. It reduces the chances of your dog’s teeth pinching their fingers, as some guests are easily overwhelmed when a dog rushes forward for treats.

RELATED: Healthy Dog Treats

Feed the Floor

When dogs get excited or stressed, they’re more likely to painfully snatch treats from hands and fingers. During dog training classes, I can spot dog owners who have the “pinched treat finger” grimace from across the room. Dogs taking treats roughly is quite common in class. Their dogs are probably super excited.

My advice is to feed the floor instead of handing each treat to your dog or placing a treat in your dog’s mouth. By feeding the floor, you’re tossing earned treats within two to three feet of your dog’s paws, so he must pick up the treat from the floor instead of your hand.

Use a Spoon

Yes, your dog can easily learn to take treats from a spoon. When teaching loose leash walking, most dogs snatch treats roughly, as you’re probably moving quickly with lots of verbal praise and happiness. Instead of feeding the floor, which can cause your dog to run after a bouncing treat, try placing peanut butter in a spoon and offering a lick as a reward. For larger dogs, fill a plastic or wooden spatula with Swiss cheese and offer a lick or two in place of a treat.

Most dogs learn to take treats gently, so use these dog training tips as needed. Remember, dogs get really excited during dog training, so you may need to give your dog treats with a flat palm, feed the floor or fill a spoon when needed.