Dog Training Skills ---Taming The Tooth Monster

Some dogs take treats too hard. As in, they manage to scrape your hands painfully when they grab the goody. Usually these dogs weren’t taught as puppies what is an acceptable amount of pressure for big pearly canines on human skin. They are not trying to hurt us; they just never learned to regulate jaw pressure.

Sometimes this tendency is exacerbated by excitement (Ooh! My favorite treat!) or stress (Yikes, another dog is close by and she might also be interested in my favorite treat).  

What a Professional Dog Trainer School Suggests You Do About It:

Stop letting go! Get a good hold on a treat before you offer it and only release the treat if your dog uses a soft mouth, i.e. light pressure or, preferably, all lips and no teeth. If your dog grabs too  hard, say, “Too bad” or “Bummer” in an oh what-a-shame tone of voice and pull the treat away. As long as your dog isn’t grabbing for the treat, try offering it again. Release the treat if she is gentle or repeat the pull-away maneuver if not. Repeat until she gets it right. (If your dog is taking treats so hard that it hurts or even breaks skin, hold the treat in your closed fist instead of the tips of your fingers to protect yourself.)  

Once you and your dog have practiced this to the point that she takes her treats gently most of the time, you can up the ante. From this point, if you offer a treat and your dog grabs too hard, she loses the treat for good—no more second or third chances to be gentle. Switch to a zero tolerance policy.  (A good dog behavior class can help you and your canine better communicate through this issue.)

Remember: Consistency Is Key!

To really soften your dog’s mouth for good, you must insist on a gentle mouth every time you offer something. Dogs may revert to rough grabbing at moments of excitement or stress. Just stick to your guns in these situations and don’t release the treat until your dog remembers to be gentle.

If you need to learn more about how to teach your dog better skills, please no further than AZ Dog Sports!  We teach dogs, dog lovers and dog trainers basic obedience training to advanced dog behavior skills or canine agility training for competitions. Please contact us now to book one of our dozens of Phoenix dog training classes available.  We look forward to hearing from you!

What is Canine Freestyle - and why YOU should do it!

Ready to tango with your terrier? Do the mambo with your mutt? Canine Freestyle is, in essence, dog training set to music— with a heaping helping of artistry thrown in. The first rule to learn is: Have fun! The idea is that you and your dog carry out a choreographed sequence of moves to music, mixing positive dog training with fun, exercise, and showmanship.

Freestyle combines a variety of common training moves like Heel and Sit-Stay with showstopping tricks like Take a Bow, Weave, Twirl, Jump, and Back Up. Teaching your dog all these cues and timing the moves to music challenges your training chops, creativity, and patience. Freestyle is open to anyone and can be enjoyed at all levels—from your living room to national competitions where you and your dog will don elaborate costumes and perform in front of adoring crowds. You get to develop your own routine to showcase your dog’s strengths; the only prerequisite is that you work with your own dog (no hired handlers).

So, put on your glad rags, queue up your favorite tune, and start shaking some bootie.  

Looking to learn other crazy or interesting dog agility training skills so you can have more fun with your dog:  or so you can improve your dog training skills to eventually have  a career working in the dog industry?   Look no further than the only school for dog trainers in Arizona --  AZ Dog Smart Academy!   AZ Dog Smart Academy, is a hand’s on, interactive and educational dog trainer academy to teach people who who want to learn advanced dog behavior skills!