| The Vent
Brush: 
A vent brush makes an inexpensive soft-bite training tool and it is readily available in stores
such as Target and Walmart. Once you have the vent brush, hold a treat in one hand and the brush in another. Hold the treat so that it barely shows under the bristles of the brush. When your dog looks at the brush with the treat held directly under it, your dog should see this: 
Note that the end of each bristle on the above brush has slightly bulbous tips. The tips are there so the brush is gentler on your scalp
and your dog's nose. If you hold the brush with a treat directly below bristles, in the above position, the dog, as it comes in to take the treat, will bump its nose into the bristles on the brush. Say "easy"
as your dog approaches and tries to take the treat. Most dogs quickly
learn to approach the treat more gently when the brush is over the
treat. As the dog learns to approach more slowly and gently, pull the
brush away from the treat. If and when the dog reverts to snapping
at the treat, simply put the brush back over the treat and repeat the
exercise. Repeat this exercise as often necessary until your dog
understands that it should take treats gently.
Some particularly food oriented dogs may need a slight modification
to the brush -- see picture below. Notice that the bulbous tip of
each bristle has been snipped off with scissors or nail clippers. Clipped in this way, the brush
has additional "stopping" power. Repeat the above
exercises with the brush without the bulbous tips.

Another alternative for training your dog to take treats gently is
THE TUBE. Return to
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