We were taught at our puppy classes to hold a treat in a closed hand, the pup tries to get it from your hand, when they don't succeed they pause or back off, then you give them the treat. They learn that being pushy or snatching doesn't work but being polite does. This is a lesson they catch on to very quickly.
We were taught at our puppy classes to hold a treat in a closed hand, the pup tries to get it from your hand, when they don't succeed they pause or back off, then you give them the treat. They learn that being pushy or snatching doesn't work but being polite does. This is a lesson they catch on to very quickly.
I was taught the same at my puppy classes with Aaliyah.
We were taught the same thing in our classes…We use the word "gentle" here in our house..easy works too, but gentle is the more common word used.
We taught Petey "bite it" meaning to bite or chew a chunk off of what I am holding with his back teeth.
I use it for things like Chicken Quarters. I will hold the drum, and he will gnaw off the thigh, and take it off to go eat, then I can give the drum to Aries or Katie. I also use it if I can't break a biscuit. I tell him "bite it", and he bites off his chunk.
We use "gentle" for taking a treat with a soft mouth.
We taught Petey "bite it" meaning to bite or chew a chunk off of what I am holding with his back teeth.
I use it for things like Chicken Quarters. I will hold the drum, and he will gnaw off the thigh, and take it off to go eat, then I can give the drum to Aries or Katie. I also use it if I can't break a biscuit. I tell him "bite it", and he bites off his chunk.We use "gentle" for taking a treat with a soft mouth.
Did you loose your Joyce Chen kitchen shears? Looks like you don't need them with Petey around.
Did you loose your Joyce Chen kitchen shears? Looks like you don't need them with Petey around.
We did! My mom stole them! We need to buy new ones, but it's still nice for Petey to "shear" off his own portion sometimes too.
I got my boy at 5 years old. I don't even have to use a word with him. He is so-o-o gentle when it come to treats from the hand and as far as food, he almost ignores me. If I do give him something I will put it in his bowl and some times he doesn't even react until I say "check your bowl". I'm sure I've said it before, and I'll say it again, whomever you were…thank-you previous owners!
I got my boy at 5 years old. I don't even have to use a word with him. He is so-o-o gentle when it come to treats from the hand and as far as food, he almost ignores me. If I do give him something I will put it in his bowl and some times he doesn't even react until I say "check your bowl". I'm sure I've said it before, and I'll say it again, whomever you were…thank-you previous owners!
My boys have always been like that… ggg... now the girls, totally a different story... My poor OJ could never figure out the "art" of eating a treat with his nose in the air so that the girls could not steal it from him until he was 10 or 11 (slow learner...ggg).... they would forever be stealing the treats right out of his mouth.
AJ learned to have a soft mouth also by stealing peanut butter sandwiches out of the (then) three-year-old's hand while she wasn't paying attention. She wouldn't even realize it was gone until she went to take a bite of it. Then she'd look around only to see AJ in the corner cleaning peanut butter off the roof of his mouth. :eek: 
Everyone here knows, "lick-lick" and then "nice.". Nice was acreal challenge with Jetta! I had to be SO fast getting my hand shut if she snatched. And she was veryveryveryvery persistantly. Shed lick and nibble and paw for five minutes straight!
Jetta has a lot more self control now but it's still hilarious how shell push right to the limit. I just finished a bowl of radishes and had her sitting behing me with her head OVER my shoulder, watching every bite.
Of course, for her restraint, she got all the leftover pieces. 
My Basenjis have always loved radishes… I would start them young with them... just tossing them on the floor whole... they would roll and toss them around the floor and then finally biting into them... a couple of days of that, they were hooked... makes a great treat... but I did make sure they were a bit on the sweet side then the "hot" side
