When many people feed their dogs snacks, their hands are often bitten accidentally by excited dogs, causing pain. How to feed your dog snacks correctly and safely? In this interview, Mr. Ethan, the pet trainer of the Hallopet Training Center, provides a detailed analysis of this issue for pet owners.
Teacher Ethan said that dogs will bite their owners' hands mainly because their desire for snacks is too strong and they cannot control their biting force. However, as long as you master the following 6 methods, you can effectively avoid being bitten and cultivate more polite eating habits in your dog.
1. Spread your palms flat
Place the treat on a fully open palm and do not hold the treat with your fingers. This way the dog can only lick the food with his tongue and cannot bite it with his teeth. You can also choose snacks that are larger and easier to bite to make it easier for your dog to hold the food and avoid contact with human hands.
2. Adjust the feeding angle
When feeding, place your hands under the dog's nose and near the mouth, and do not raise it too high. This position allows the dog to naturally approach the food, and will not jump because it is too high to eat and become more excited.
3. Make good use of feeding tools
If you don't want to feed by hand, you can use a tool such as a ladle or food tongs. This will not only keep your hands away from your dog's mouth, but also help your dog learn to bite the food gently.
4. Teach basic commands
Before each feeding, perform simple command training, such as "sit" and "wait" to reduce the dog's excitement. In addition, you can also teach them special commands such as "Gentle" and "Easy" to cultivate their patience. The specific method is: slowly bring the snack close to the dog and whisper "slowly"; if the dog is eager to grab the food, immediately take it back and repeat the command; when the dog behaves well, reward the dog with snacks.
5. Keep calm
The owner's mood will directly affect the dog, so keep calm when feeding, and move steadily and slowly to let the dog understand that this is a calm process rather than a fierce competition.
6. Fun feeding method
You can make snack time more interesting and enjoyable through educational toys, hide and seek treat toys, or lightly tossing snacks.
The above methods can not only effectively avoid being bitten by dogs, but more importantly, help dogs learn to control their emotions. I believe that after training, feeding will become the most intimate interaction moment between dogs and their owners.
Editor's note: The correctness of the questions answered by experts in this column may vary depending on the status, breed, and growth environment of each pet. For some owners, the column's answers may be limited. If you find that your furry child has If the situation is special, please consult a professional pet trainer or veterinarian for further information.