Ivory & Beau Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 So our new rescue Labrador female will snatch food from your hand if you're not watchful. She has bitten me a few times! I want this stopped ASAP!!!! I plan on signing her up with a dog school in early 2014, so I want to nip this in the butt now. She looks to me for guidance but I honestly have no idea how to work with a Labrador. She's pretty energetic. Badger is learning she's OK to play with now. Tell me how to start and what to do please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Ouch! I usually put a treat in my hand..close fist tight . open your hand.. the food..and close hand tight . pup/dog will poke, lick, whinge, paw ....... stay firm . Then, when they look away , or sit quietly , I will then offer then the food on the FLAT of my hand . repeat, rinse, repeat ................................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 Thanks persephone That is kind of what I have been doing. Though pulling my hand away when she goes to snatch and I have had a few nice takes from her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 I think pulling your hand away could make her keener to snatch - to get the food before it's gone. Try not doing this and put a glove on if she snatches too much and hurts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) I have found with most labs you need to lower the food value too. Dry food seems to excite them sufficiently enough, meat treats seem to send them over the edge into frenzy mode and you don't get any good work out of them at that stage. :laugh: Edited December 21, 2013 by Staff'n'Toller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 The dog has to learn that the human is in charge of the food. There are two techniques I use for dogs like this. FIRST : You want to really activate her nose..... after all that is the conduit to her brain. You are doing the right thing offering the food in a closed fist.... just being careful not to pull your hand back at all even if she does try to grab with her teeth. Unfortunately you will get a some teeth scrapings until she learns. Keep fist closed until she starts to sniff and push with her nose or tongue to try find the food, then just open your fist slightly so she has to use her tongue to slide the food out of the opening fist. She will quickly realise that teeth don't open the hand but tongue or nose will. SECOND : You need to improve her co-ordination which helps her understand where her mouth/teeth are .... Stand in front of her and hold a treat at about your head height, Stay really quiet and calm regardless of her behaviour... Wait... Ignore her trying to jump up... quietly push her back if she jumps against you... wait until she sits and watches the treat and then drop the treat for her to catch.... Repeat this over and over.... in no time she will realise she needs to stop and wait before you drop treats.... she also learns how to be precise in catching the food and how she uses her mouth.... Then you start to make a game of asking her to wait, wait and then she concentrates on your hand and you can toss in different directions and she catches. FURTHER HELP. You can also make a bit of a trick with it for her... Offer both fists together, just one has the food, she ends up sniffing both hands trying to work out where the food is. When she focuses on the correct hand, open hand and praise. She can quickly get the idea of the game, then you make her wait..... present both fists and give a command ( perhaps CHOOSE ) she then selects a hand and you say YES and give the food. FOLLOW UP Once you have the above things happening, then you teach her to LEAVE IT.... you can place the food on a stool tell her to LEAVE, use your hand to capture the food if she tries to get it and keep repeating until she stops and waits.... then use a release word to let her have it.... Continue with this exercise and eventually you can place food on her foot and have her LEAVE...... Good luck and have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*kirty* Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 I always hold it in a closed fist and wait until they are being gentle, then I say 'gentle' and open my hand slightly so that they can nibble the food out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted December 22, 2013 Author Share Posted December 22, 2013 alpha bet ... thank you so much :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 I also do the closed fist thing but find that offering treat/ food at chest height below mouth level so the dog has to reach down eliminates snatching. Holding food higher than the dog's head tends to encourage it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 I always hold it in a closed fist and wait until they are being gentle, then I say 'gentle' and open my hand slightly so that they can nibble the food out. This is what I do too. Both my dogs know what gentle means and I use it if they get too excited about the food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted December 23, 2013 Author Share Posted December 23, 2013 So I've done a small amount of training with Inka. She didn't bite me today, woohoo. I just got a very wet hand. When my closed fist appeared at her height, she did her "snort, I'm going to bite you for that food" sound but then she went straight to being a little settled and licked at my hand for the food. After a few moments of her just licking, I opened my palm flat and she took the food without teeth She's also getting great with me putting cream on her sore ears. I do loop the leash over her muzzle and hold it under her throat, this calms her right down and I can get the cream in the right spot. Another bonus, she's eating her food slower too! I think we're doing well after only a week of her being here :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 :) :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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