Is your dog perfect in the living room and deaf at the park? Have you already decided they're just not food motivated?
What you'll learn in this edition: how to find out what your dog will actually work for, in the places where it's hard.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.
The dog who forgot everything at the park
A come when you call that only works in your living room is a come you don't really have yet, and the park is where you find that out.
When Kirby, my 40 pound rescue mix, was younger, he'd come flying across the living room every time I called him, happily, for a piece of his plain kibble.
Then I called him at the park and he acted like he had never been trained in his life.
Super.
This is my own filled-in food hierarchy sheet, the one I used to figure out what Kirby would actually work for. Turns out location and delivery method matter just as much as the food itself. Same worksheet is linked below so you can run it on your own dog.
Your dog performs flawlessly at home and acts like you’re speaking gibberish outside
Your dog sits beautifully in the kitchen for a piece of kibble. Out on the sidewalk, that same kibble might as well be a pebble.
So you figure your dog isn't food motivated, and the treat pouch goes in the drawer.
Here is what’s happening
Your dog isn't ignoring you, he simply doesn’t understand yet.
Dogs don't assume a cue means the same thing everywhere. Come in the living room and come at the park are close to 2 different cues until you teach your dog that the word means the same thing even in different places.
And your dog is being paid differently.
The job you're asking your dog to do is valued at different price tags in different places. The price of the job went up the moment you walked out the front door. Just like how you would cover a coworker's shift on a slow Wednesday afternoon for a coffee. But asking you to cover Christmas Eve for the same coffee is almost rude. Same job. Different situation. Different price.
Go past the treat aisle
A reward hierarchy can be food, toys, or both. We're talking about food today because it's the easiest thing for a pet owner to use: your dog eats it, it's gone, and you're straight into the next repetition. Toys come with something you have to teach first, which is letting go of the toy, and there's usually a lot of conflict in that. So, food.
What moves the price: how familiar the place is, what else is competing for your dog's attention, and how they feel standing there. A worried dog prices everything higher.
You want a range, so you can save the good stuff for the hard places. Worth trying:
Fresh (human grade) dog food in the refrigerated aisles of grocery stores
String cheese, chopped into 6-8 pieces
A hot dog, sliced thin
Boiled chicken breast or steak chunks
Kraft singles (one slice tears into about 8 pieces)
Whipped cream or squeeze cheese, one lick from the can
Dog-safe peanut butter (make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol!)
I've even had a dog work for Cheerios once. Don't assume what sounds good to you is your dog's highest value food!
Add one new food at a time, and give it a day or two before you build a session around it. Some dogs get an upset stomach from something new, and with one new thing at a time you know exactly what to drop.
One thing to try this week 👇🏻
Pick 3 foods. Kibble, the treats you already own, then 1 or 2 from the list above.
Do this before a meal, when your dog is a little hungry.
Start in your kitchen, score each one.
1️⃣ = won't take it, 2️⃣ = takes it without much interest, 3️⃣ = takes it and loves it.
Try a few different ways of delivering it: standing still, tossed on the ground, moved away so they have to chase it, or thrown for them to catch mid-air.
Remember to vary the amount too. One kibble is not the same as a generous handful.
Score the same foods in the driveway. Then on a walk. Then somewhere busy, like a pet store parking lot.
📋 Here's the sheet I use, ready to fill in.
Your dog is already keeping this list. You're just writing it down.
Good dog of the week 🐶
Hana, a Jindo, having what looks like the best day of her life. That grin is contagious.
Rate this dog's cuteness
Want your dog here? Reply with a photo, their name, and one line about what makes them a good dog.
Some ways I can help
Send me a video, I'll give you feedback for free.
Reply to any newsletter with a 30 to 60 second clip and a description of what's going on: a bad walk, a behavior you can't figure out, a sport skill you're stuck on. I pick 2 readers a week and answer them properly.
Work with me one on one.
If you're new to working with me, start with my questionnaire. It's free and takes 5 minutes. I read every one, and if I can help, I'll send you the link to book a 30 minute virtual consult, $60, credited toward whatever comes next. If I can't, I'll let you know.
👉🏻 If we've worked together before, email me at [email protected] and we'll get something in the books.
That's all for today folks! 🫶🏻
Let's go train some Good Dogs 🐶
P.S. I'm opening the waitlist for a virtual Home Manners course. The goal is simple: keep training with your dog until they're ready to actually pass the AKC Home Manners title, and I'll be the one evaluating you when you get there. If you want a dog who can greet your neighbor without jumping, and hold a stay while you deal with a delivery at the door, this is the track that gets you both there. Join the waitlist and I'll email you the second it opens.