| 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 Home Page or Training Aids. |