Hand Feeding Explained
Before discovering how beneficial using my dogs existential food was for training, it felt like I spent so much money on additional treats - even working out what the best treats would be to keep my dog the most engaged and interested took time and effort.
When we speak about hand-feeding your dog, we’re not asking you to sit on the floor and feed each mouthful by hand - we’re talking about getting your dog working for their daily food.
Using your dog's daily food instead of treats for training is advantageous for several reasons. Firstly, it aligns training with their nutritional needs, ensuring they’re not exceeding their calorie intake and maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, utilising their regular food can create a more balanced approach to rewards, reinforcing good behaviour without the temptation of relying on high-calorie treats. This method can also enhance focus, as the dog learns to associate their daily food with positive experiences, making training sessions more productive and enjoyable.
So what are the benefits of hand-feeding?
Increased Motivation: Utilising your dog's everyday food as a reward can significantly enhance their motivation to learn, as they value it as a primary resource.
Cost-effective: There is no need to purchase expensive treats, as you can seamlessly incorporate their meals into training sessions.
Better Focus: Dogs are often more attentive and engaged when using food they eat daily, because they’re not already full!
Healthy Choices: Training with their normal diet encourages healthy eating habits, ensuring that they receive a balanced diet even during training.
Surprisingly, suggesting to clients that they should consider switching to using meal times as either training, play or enrichment time using their dogs regular food doesn’t always go down well! Some owners worry about the hygiene aspect, the additional time and even organisation involved, but even if your dog is on a raw diet, I encourage use of gloves if you’re feeling grossed out and as for the dry food feeders, you have no excuse!
I always encourage clients to remember that a key aspect in our dogs’ lives is feeding time - the interest in food is rooted in their genetics, as their ancestors relied on hunting and scavenging for survival, which shaped a strong instinctual drive towards food. Tapping into your dogs’ food drive not only accelerates it but allows you to shape the increased motivation into desired behaviours via positive reinforcement.
How much additional time and effort does hand-feeding take?
The answer is - as little or as much as you want. Here’s a few ideas to try;
Take your dogs’ meal out on the go and use to encourage and reinforce loose-lead walking
Scatter feed outdoors in your garden for a fun and enriching activity
Spend 10-15 minutes indoors working on new commands or tricks
What if your dog isn’t interested in food?
We all know picky eaters exist in the dog world, but if your dog is really put off and shows no interest, it may be worth asking yourself why.
Starting off indoors with low distractions where your dog feels most comfortable is a good way to rule out if your dog is too overstimulated to take food or if they’re simply not enjoying the type of food you have been feeding. If they regularly leave a large amount of food at meal times, always check in with your vet first to rule out illness - but if you’re feeding a dry or highly processed food, consider trying a fresh or raw diet instead.
In fact, some dog’s do need a little help in building their drive to work for food - one of the best ways to start is to begin hand-feeding!
Need Help Getting Started?
Using existential food—your dog’s daily meals—as a reward can be a game-changer in dog and puppy training. This method helps reinforce positive behaviours while maintaining motivation and engagement.
If you're unsure how to implement this effectively, we can guide you through the process in a virtual lesson, ensuring you use food rewards correctly to shape behaviour. Plus, our group classes in Essex and Hertfordshire provide the perfect environment to practice and progress with this technique in real-world settings.
Book a session today and take your training to the next level!