Ok, after 10 years into this I know I should have this down; but I need suggestions. Any tricks on training pup to take treat without using teeth? I do a lot of training with my pups so have constant red, teeth scratched hands.
This works for me! My friend Steph at Stone Hill Dals taught me to shove two fingers under the pups tongue! Very tender spot! Do that a few times saying the word "nice" and the problem will disappear quickly.
Try this. Get one of your older dogs who takes treats very gently. With just the pup and the older dog in the room, speak softly and give the old dog a treat first. Praise - quietly. Then, holding a treat in your fist, with just half the treat sticking out, quietly give the pup its treat. Do this once a day and in a week you should start to see a difference. Puppies learn a whole lot observing older dogs.
When my pups 'snatch and grab' for treats, they get a verbal and firm 'no!'(no shouting, please) and no treat. You have to be quick and withdraw the treat. Use high value, soft treats cut into small bits: cooked hot dog, chicken. Crunchy treats take too long to eat for this training. During training, my pups wear a chain training collar and are on a short lead. If necessary, kneel down at pup's side to get down to your pup's level. Praise pup quietly while stroking pup's head. When pup is settled, and before the treat, I mark the good behavior with a verbal cue: I use 'yes' followed by the treat. Pups have a short attention span, don't wait too long to reward if pup is calm. If pup lunges and grabs, apply slight pressure to collar and a firm 'no', withdraw the treat and repeat. Do this training several times a day for short periods of time (5-10 minutes),Pup will soon get the idea that being calm and settled earns them a treat.
Try using something like peanut butter on the palm of your hand. The pup can't get the "treat" without licking. Biting will do no good. You can close your fist just enough so that the pup can taste, and when he is just using his tongue, open up your hand. Just remember to close your hand right away if you feel teeth. After the pup is reliably licking your palm without biting, add something more solid in the palm of your hand. Eventually he will be conditioned to take food softly no matter what it is.
