How To Teach "gentle"?

[cassie]

Hi all,

Just after some advice on how to teach a puppy (5 month old Saint Bernard) how to take treats/food from your hand gently, and without snapping. At the moment if I feed him a treat, he will jump up to where my hand is to get it, and snap up the treat. I always correct him for doing this, make him sit again, and say "Geeeeeeeeentle" in a sort of soothing voice, hoping he will get the idea. Then, while he doesn't jump at the treat again, 9 times out of 10 he will still snap it up, (and often gets my fingers!), rather than taking it nicely.

Any suggestions? I never had to teach this to my other dog, as he was always gentle anyway.

Thanks for any help offered.

[KitKat]

One way i did it was to hold a small but high value treat in my finger tips/finger nails so that the pooch couldn't actually get it - and as soon as they go about it gently release the treat. Be prepared to have your fingers nibbled to start with tho!

There are several ways of doing it but that was the one i've used the most - especially while working

[ashan]

I agree with KitKat. This is the same way I taught my pup this as he was snatching from my kids but not us. He soon learnt if he nipped there was no treat if he was gentle he got it.

Good Luck

[skip]

I'm a beginner dog owner but I find the dogs will nip more if the food is a bit far away, just in case they lose out. And I taught to take gently when they were not excited and more calm.

I sometimes feed mine with a closed or partially closed hand until it is front of their mouth and then I open for them to take it gently. There are usually sitting or dropped and the small one oftens gets so excited she wants to break and leap up. So I've begun to hold the hand down closed and wait till she stays still.

So in my case if they break or snatch it is no treat.

I also teach them to leave food in front of them until told to take it. If they go to take it I remove it until they wait for permission. Much like they must wait for me to finish putting food out before they get dinner. If they ever got pushy it would be no food until they sit quietly and wait till invited.

Sure someone will give good advice here! What a lovely breed, bet he is lovely.

[bloss344]

With Bob I offered the treat in a closed fist, and as soon as he stopped mugging my hand I marked and gave him the treat on the flat of my hand rather than with my fingertips.

Oh this reminds me, I got Blossom from a shelter and snatching treats was the only bad thing she did. I was at a friends place one day and he was making his lunch, you know, strass on the sandwich, a piece of strass for Bloss. She snatched it out of his hand, without saying a word he calmly picked up a bar of soap he had on the sink and offered it to her. She of course snatched it, spat it out, looked all offended and never snatched anything again. Many, many years later we still laugh about this.

Edited July 20, 2007 by bloss344

[Lablover]

You mention you are correcting him? How?

Dogs do what works for them. Do not reward the dog for incorrect choices. They are great problem solvers. Teach gentle etc. At 5 months your dog has already learnt bad habits (according to your/our criteria). You need to change the sequence. Simple, eh????

[Boxerheart]

;)

Sounds like a respect issue. Treats need to be earned.

Here is how I trained my Boxers. (just another way to do it..many ways to skin a cat, whatever you do be CONSISTENT )

First..never leave a constant supply of food in the run. Use at least one meal as the rewards during the training session.

Two train the dog to sit and wait..for anything and everything and reward with food. For a big dog maybe a second handler (silent) restraining him with a lead so he is not so free to jump up (or tether him if you are on your own).

Tell him to sit and wait. Go to reward him, but if he jumps up don't. In a growly voice say NO!

Then pretend to eat some of the food in front of him (he will be disqusted..but you are saying I am top dog, you eat when I want you to and I eat first!)

Persist. and when his bum stays on the ground for long enough to get a treat..offer it to him from the side of his mouth not front on for a snap (you or helper can hold collar the first few times)..say "gently" and if he isn't gentle make him wait more. He will soon know if I am rough I will get no reward. When he is gentle build on it and add the words and praise him up with "Nice Manners - free to eat!"

Build on it also....

When you feed him don't let him just hog into the bowl, bring him to the dish on a lead, make him Sit, Wait. Stand in front of him and say "Manners". You move about a bit and expect him to stay where he is. Tell him "free to eat" only when you want to release him to his dinner.

Eventually he should understand and listen to you at liberty.

Started young enough you wouldn't need a second handler or a lead..but you have a big dog. So it's a suggestion to give you the upper hand.

To give it treats willy nilly or feed it while any member of your family is still eating is putting you on a par OR beneath it in your family "PACK"

It might take weeks to get right ..you will have to be diligent everyday, but persistence will give you a golden companion for the rest of his life :D

Edited July 23, 2007 by Boxerheart

[Kowai]

I've found that if I hold the treat in my hand, but have my index finger pointing out, and touch my dog on the nose with my index finger as I'm giving him the treats, he nibbles! I forget where I heard the trick..

This seems to work with most dogs for me except there is the risk of losing your finger!

[Joan of Arc]

We have trained all four of our labs to be 'gentle' when being fed treats, we start when they are young and only have the smallest amount of the treat exposed.

When the pup or dog goes to take the treat we repeat the command 'gentle' and if they snatch I close my fist, if they are gentle with teeth then I allow them a small amount. As they get older I start to say 'gentle' and follow with 'no teeth' and they soon seem to learn that if they only lip the treat they are rewarded.

I must admit though that Labs are extremely easy to train and being highly food motivated its that much easier.

Perseverance and Consistency are the answers.

Edited July 25, 2007 by mercedes

[BittyMooPeeb]

I've seen someone do this by holding the food in a closed fist, and if the dog tries to get it, he quickly lifts up his fist and uses his knuckles to hit the dog on the top of the nose. It worked, but I dont like to use pain as a training tool, so I either:

- offer the food in a closed fist, and the dog doesnt get it until he stops and waits for it.

- teach 'leave' and 'take' with the idea that the dog will only take the food when given the command 'take' and will therefore not be snatching at it. This is reinforced with 'meal time manners' - my dogs are not allowed to approach their (fully laden and on the floor) food bowls until released, so even if food lands on the floor they wont try to get it. (in theory :wink)

[cavNrott]

I've seen someone do this by holding the food in a closed fist, and if the dog tries to get it, he quickly lifts up his fist and uses his knuckles to hit the dog on the top of the nose. It worked, but I dont like to use pain as a training tool, so I either:

That's a classic example of someone who needs to learn about training. He abuses his dog by hitting it when he hasn't taught it manners.....some people are complete idiots :D What he's doing is teaching the dog that its owner can't be trusted to take food from his hand without getting hit...that poor dog.

I say 'gentle' and if my dog tries to snatch I say ttssss and turn my back on her. Then we try again.

She knows if she snatches there will be no treat.

[Erny]

I've seen someone do this by holding the food in a closed fist, and if the dog tries to get it, he quickly lifts up his fist and uses his knuckles to hit the dog on the top of the nose.

Ian Dunbar does this - although he more 'butts' the dog/pup at the front of his nose (and says loudly "NO!"). He also first builds a word association with taking the food (eg. "take") and the dog receives the rebuttal for trying to take the food without first receiving the word.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Erny