Trouble Training? 4 Tips to Build Food Motivation in Dogs!

Do you have a dog that isn't very food motivated? Here are 4 tips to help build motivation for food & treats so that you can utilize them in training.

1. Know your dog's preferences.

Every dog is an individual and they each have their own likes and dislikes when it comes to food. In order to use food/treats as a training reward your dog has to like and want what you are offering. If they do not seem very food motivated it may because they just don't like what you have. In general, real meat or cheese will be considered high value but it may be worth holding a treat tournament where you pair off treats against each other to determine your dog's preferences. Check out this worksheet from Instinct Dog Behavior & Training NYC. https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Instinct-Treat-Tournament-Worksheet.pdf?mc_cid=57111199b0&mc_eid=UNIQID

2. Ditch the dog bowl.

Often dogs are not motivated to take treats during training because they have free access to food at home and basically are never hungry. Start to use your dog's meal as a training opportunity. Measure out what you would normally just dump into their bowl and use that as training rewards for simple known behaviors. Many dogs are over fed so you may need to skip a meal at first to really build incentive to take the food from you.

3. Start in low distraction environments.

Many dogs who are expereincing fear, anxiety or stress will refuse food. Often people perceive that their dog is not food motivated when this happens but when their dog relaxes they start eating. One way to reduce fear, anxiety and stress during training is to minimize the distractions around the dog. Try practicing inside your home first then greadually move into new envirnments with increasingly difficult levels of distrations. Your goal in these new environments is simply to establish eating as a behavior, so don't even add the requirment of performing a specific cued behavior at first. Just see if you can get them eating because that may be hard enough!

4. Consider changing your treat delivery method.

Some dogs that are fearful/shy may be uncomfortable with hands reaching over/toward them and/or uncomfortable with a person leaning over them. Consider tossing the treats, placing them on the floor or offering them in an open palm.