Are you worried about over-feeding your puppy or dog?
Do you struggle with training because your dog disengages, refuses the treats, and can’t be encouraged with bits of tasty food?
Does the idea of using treats for training make you uncomfortable?
I've got you covered.
Listen. Your dog has to eat to sustain life. In fact, there isn't such a thing as a dog who isn't "food-motivated". Dogs can have low food-motivation but that's a human problem. Animals who are "not food-motivated" are dead because they didn't eat to sustain life. Living wasn't motivating enough for them to eat? Nah.
Let's get real.
You want to be the centre of your dog's universe.
You want your dog to gaze up at you now and again while walking down the street.
You want your dog to come flying, top speed, when you call. The first time.
You want your dog to learn basic cues and concepts quickly and to perform those behaviours in new environments, with ease.
We all want the same thing.
I can help you get there, and it's not going to involve overfeeding your dog until they're 700 lbs and diabetic. It also won't involve a dog who is dependant on food in order to perform on cue.
Become the Teacher your dog needs you to be.
You're going to start with getting rid of your dog's food bowl and do some grocery shopping or freezer-diving. You're going to make a "Kibble Bag".
You'll need:
- a little less than 3 days’ worth of your dog's regular kibble
- a large, resealable freezer bag or airtight/food-grade container
- some fresh, whole, low-fat foods.
Some ideas:
- chicken breast (boiled, chopped)
- extra lean ground beef/turkey (boiled, broken up)
- canned tuna (strained, flaked)
- low-fat cheese (shredded)
- Rollover food tubes (sliced n'diced)
- parmesan cheese (grated)
- garlic powder (a tiny, tiny bit)
You want the ratio to be 4:1 kibble to snacks.
Mix it up and seal it. Leave it in the fridge overnight.
Pack your dog's food bowl away or use it as a secondary water bowl
For the next three days, use your dog's daily rations for creating positive associations, rewarding good choices, and training behaviours throughout the day.
Do 3 days at a time because it stays fresh for 3-4 days and we don’t want that going off! Alternatively, you can prepare a larger batch, store it in a freezer-safe container and only scoop out what you need each day!
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Boom. Problem(s) Solved!
If your dog isn't food-motivated, then you definitely need to join us in TCCE+ because we can fix that!