When we use food in training, it can be hard to figure out exactly how to do all the work without making our dogs overweight or filling up a small dog at the start of class. We spent quite a while talking about this in class last night.
- For at home training of behaviors, easy behaviors, maintaining behaviors, use kibble.
- If your dog food comes in smaller sized pieces, use those!
- Get a different brand/kind of dog food (fish!) to use as 'training treats'. More balanced nutrition than other treats, but still different and exciting.
- Measure out food and use that for training.
And with other actual treats...
- Use something lower calories, and cut it very small.
- With many dogs, mixing these things in with kibble can make the boring dog food all the more exciting.
- Use licking treats (canned food, low fat cream cheese, etc)
Other thoughts:
- Develop and utilize other non food reinforcers
- Plan and use food for the things you really need to work on.
I'm sure there are more food tips to list!
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2 comments:
At work we get freeze dried liver treats and grind them up until it's dust. Then we sprinkle that into our jar of random kibble and the dogs just love it!
I knew I had a bag of fish dust in my car for SOME reason. I hadn't been able to throw it away!
GREAT idea!
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