Dogs are looking for information on how to navigate the human parts of living their life. Situations like jumping, walking on a leash, to bark or not to bark could be prevented or at least managed by well timed piece of something like a string cheese
Toads nail trim completed with a few well timed treats
.
“My dog won’t eat”
That my friend is a different issue. If your dog cannot take food the second you walk out of the house, that is the root of your problem. If your dog cannot take food outside the house, bring better food and stay close to home. As your dog gets more comfortable in the space, they will be able to take all kinds of food, not just the good stuff. I talked about this on my YouTube channel. Check it out!
“I don’t want to have to remember food”
I would also like you to remember pants, and a leash. It really isn’t that difficult to remember to grab a stick of cheese on your way out the door. At the very least find some shelf stable freeze dried bits that your dog really likes and keep your treat pouch with your leash and poo bags. Set your dog up for success by setting yourself up for success.
“Do we have to feed them forever”
Yes, and No. As you continue to work with your dog you will start to reward “effort”. This means that the things you really had to reward often are starting to happen more automatically. You will also notice that the full treat pouch is lasting multiple walks instead of having to go inside because you ran out of treats (Never run out of treats!)
a well timed reward for walking beside and not pulling on the leash
“My dog should just know”
Do you expect your kid to “just know calculus?” No! They have to go to school and learn numbers and letters and then letters as numbers. The process takes multiple steps over multiple years. The same with your dog. Some will pick up quickly and some will take longer and that is okay. Each time you hand them a piece of food you are reassuring them that they are correct and they should keep trying.
Often people think that domestication in dogs happened because dogs liked being around humans and then POOF a few thousand years later we have poodles. Those first few dogs showed up because people were an easy food source. Many years of domestication and selective breeding has not changed that. Dogs will still work for food. Finding a knowledgeable trainer who can help you navigate when to feed and how can jumpstart your training plan and take it to the next level. I’ve solved many behavior challenges with a stick of string cheese.