Seven Ways With Food - To Fix Your Dog Training Issues

As a LIMA-based trainer, I often begin with food. It’s a means to behavioural wellness and communication that we all, dogs and humans, can understand. 

Often my clients will perceive food only by giving their dogs meals and through positive reinforcement. For example, “If my dog sits, I will give them a cookie.” 

Yes! But you can use food in training in many other creative ways! 

• Counter (conditioning)
• Replacement Behaviour
• Shaping Behaviour
• Creating Habits
• Emotional Regulation
• Relationship Building
• Enrichment

Let me explain these further with examples. The concepts are pretty simple and fun to apply.

(Counter) Conditioning

What - Teach our dogs ways of feeling about things with food.

Issue - Your puppy appears startled when they see a garbage truck for the first time. 

How - You give them a cookie after they notice the truck each time.

Goal - Your puppy feels better when they see a garbage truck.

Replacement Behaviour

What - To exchange a previous behaviour with the action of eating food.

Issue - Your dog lunges at skateboarders while on leash. 

How - Continuously give your dog food when they notice the skateboard.

Goal - Your dog eats instead of lunging.

Shaping Behaviour

What - Develop new skills and behaviours with food.

Issue - Your dog does not know how to stay.

How - Give your dog a cookie after 1 second, then two seconds, then 3 seconds, etc., 

Goal - Your dog learns to remain in one spot for extended periods.

Creating Habits

What - Create patterns and tendencies with food.

Issue - Your dog doesn’t seem to notice you when they are off-leash.

How - Give your dog a cookie each time your dog is near you.

Goal - Your dog checks in more often. 

Emotional Regulation

What - Help modulate arousal levels by using food.

Issue - Your dog barks in proximity to an outdoor soccer game. 

How - Feed low to medium-value cookies at a distance

Goal - You see your dog’s body language begin to relax near a soccer game.

Relationship Building

What - Play games with food to build trust and enjoyment.

Issue - Your dog jumps and bites you during playtime.

How - Play the Find Game.

Goal - Both you and your dog enjoy a chasing game together.

Enrichment

What - Supply our dogs with food activities to fulfill their primal needs.

Issue - Your dog seems to chew many things that don’t belong to them.

How - Provide recycling materials such as cardboard boxes.

Goal - Your dog will shred and tear cardboard boxes instead of your things. 

As you can see, I use food in many ways to change a dog’s behaviour. Using food minimizes conflict, which is always at the forefront when building a great relationship with my dogs. 

Look at Teaching Your Dog to Eat in my free resources if your dog has discerning tastes.

Happy Eating!