10/22/2021
“Nom, nom, nom.” Huh - a puppy chewing on something again. Are we seeing a theme here my friends? 😂
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It bears repeating that puppy biting is normal. Though we are struck by the level of love & friendship our dogs offer us, we must never forget that they are canines. They are not humans poured into fur. And as a species, canines use their mouths for communication & play. That terribly difficult landshark stage is normal, & it is OUR job to teach them alternate behaviors for communicating with us.
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So, let’s keep learning how to do so! We’ve talked about our positional relationship & we’ve talked about establishing ironclad leash/collar skills. Today let’s talk about the mechanics of giving a treat.
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Believe it or not, all of these “little” things are quite critical when taken as a whole (think “wax on” if you’re an old school Karate Kid fan 🤣). One thing I’ve learned recently is just how important my hand position is in giving a treat, as we can unintentionally rehearse all sorts of bad behaviors.
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Essentially, you want to keep your kibble bits on the inside middle portion of your index & middle fingers & pinch the kibble with your thumb. This is different than pinching it between the ends of your fingers, as it allows your puppy to settle & even lick as he attempts to take the treat, rather than bite at the kibble.
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The key: don’t release the kibble until your puppy is offering the calm, respectful behavior you desire. Whatever your puppy is doing when the piece of kibble is released, that is what your puppy will learn is the desired behavior.
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By teaching puppies to take kibble from our hands in this way, we are rehearsing a calm, respectful approach, AND teaching them that a soft, gentle mouth is the way we humans interact. Once you’ve established this with your puppy, it is an excellent way for your puppy to learn the same with your kids. No squealing. No raising hands. Help your kids learn to hold their hands steady & patiently hold the kibble until puppy is sitting, calmly, & gently takes the kibble from their hands.
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Oh, a video would be worth 2200 characters right now! LOL! But hopefully that makes sense to you guys…