Training a NON-Food-Motivated Dog?

[@SpeedNoodles]

I laughed out loud when I opened the email and saw the title of the video and the photo of the Borzoi. I've had Borzoi for 23 years, and this is always a challenge! Thanks for all your great work.

[@spiritdogtraining]

Haha :) This is Flynn, the dog of our Victoria from our trainer team! Some dogs definitely are a LOT easier to train with food than others (saying this as an owner of a Golden Retriever who I am sure would train for pebbles if I asked him ... ;-) and also as the owner of the more picky Party who is featured in this video!) Thank you for the nice words, I am glad you enjoy the content!

[@MsCyberNewt]

I had a Borzoi in my early 20s. I actually trained her to have a super reliable recall. Then later when I let her run around other Borzoi people- they were astonished that I had such a great recall on her. I was young then, and still "bought into" the dominance BS, but I was also using a lot of positive reinforcement, especially with recall training. My thought process then was, and still is, why would any dog want to come to me if I am going to bully and "dominate" them? The ONLY way was to make coming to me so positive and fun, that they would do it no matter what was in the environment. Plus- when I had got her, no one had ever told me at that time "You can't ever train a good recall on a sighthound. They just won't ever do it." I heard that after I had trained that recall and I am so happy that I had never heard it until AFTER I had my reliable recall. You can train ANY dog of ANY breed to do ANY thing they are capable of doing - with positive reinforcement. 😃

[@susanwalker9269]

Thanks! That was really helpful. As a trainer, I just encountered my first client whose dog does not appear food motivated. I’m looking forward to digging deeper!

[@spiritdogtraining]

Hi Susan, Thank you for the nice words :) I am glad it's useful! When digging deeper, definitely make sure the dog has a vet check as well.

[@maryackenhusen6893]

This is very helpful as my dog is not treat motivated. Much of it comes from anxiety but I think these tips will help. It is a good reminder that I can't expect to train him if he's not feeling relaxed and hungry. It might be a convenient time for me to train, but if he's anxious or not hungry, I won't get good results.

[@spiritdogtraining]

Hi Mary, Thank you for the nice feedback! You are right, while some dogs are always ready to eat ;) others need more preparation! Make sure your pup is relaxed and has a good appetite and training will go much smoother :)

[@MsCyberNewt]

I am also a dog trainer and was happy that you mentioned the "free feeding" issue. Every time I have met someone who free feeds, they often have overweight dogs and always have dogs that are not food motivated. I also really appreciated the last tip- GO SEE A VET if your dog won't eat at all for days at a time! As Susan Garrett says- "You can't dog train a non-dog training issue!" If you have a medical issue- you can't train your dog to not have that issue. That is what vets are for! Thanks for the video! :):)

[@spiritdogtraining]

You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it- yes, the vet one especially is so important!

[@kellycorl8319]

Started using pre-made i.e. Freshpet and it was a game changer!!! Thanks ☺️ Labrador owner here but I was looking for a WOW type of treat.

[@spiritdogtraining]

Yes!! So happy it worked for you! It's amazing how much they like it, right? I have to say again I get nothing for promoting them ... I am just a real believer into how well their food (and similar brands, like also Instinct Raw) works :)

[@ChristinaMaterna]

To be fair though, there are some dogs where the environment/toys is a much bigger reinforcer than food :) For example, I have a WFT that will not eat anything if they are focused on their job or are at an environment they haven't been recently. In this case I allow sniffing/looking as reward for attention until he calm enough (if at all) to eat. Or my GSD who loves food, but his highest reward is a frisbee. Simple/known behaviours are fine to reward with food, but if I want something to stick in his mind then toys are his thing.

[@keevandeurs]

Please … what is a “WFT” ? I’m in learning mode … My Great Dane will often choose things in the environment rather than me … 😜

[@ChristinaMaterna]

@@keevandeurs wire Fox Terrier 🤣

[@deannakrause8629]

Thank you ! This all reinforces what I pretty much knew! So I am on the right track 😊

[@spiritdogtraining]

Glad we could help

[@markchoate4580]

Hi Steffi, This is very good. I sent you an email commenting on the importance of food in falconry training.

[@spiritdogtraining]

Hi Mark, Thank you! Looking forward to reading it :)

[@TeresaDavis-h8w]

Thank you for these videos, they are helpful. I will try these things. I have also made some of the tuna treats you gave the receipe for in one of youe other lessons.

[@spiritdogtraining]

So glad that you found it helpful! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. Hope your pup enjoyed the tuna treats :)

[@dottynarvaez2622]

My dog is food aggressive, so outside is difficult. He goes crazy and is aggressive toward everything for fear someone will take his food! It has taken almost 2 years to get him to be okay eating at home!

[@spiritdogtraining]

Hi Dotty, I am sorry, that sounds pretty tricky! Please be careful managing this and if you feel like you need more help, reach out to an experienced in-person trainer :)

[@barbaralascek2082]

My dog refuses even meat if he is too focused on other dogs that he wants to play with. What are your thoughts as to how much interaction dogs need with each other. I am wondering if scheduling time for play dates or time in doggy daycare will meet a need and also improve focus when training

[@spiritdogtraining]

Hi Barbara, Great question :) There is no "general recommendation" for how much time dogs "need" with each other. Some dogs actually don't want to socialize with other dogs at all and that's okay :) Others really enjoy their time with doggy friends and that is fine, too! I would however very much caution you against letting your dog refuse treats and instead go and play with other dogs. Because that actually becomes a reward for refusing treats - "Just don't take the treat and get to play instead!" That can lead to pretty big training challenges down the road. One solution for dogs that love others is to *first* do a little bit of training and *then* letting them play. For example, if you get to e.g. a friend's house for a doggy playdate: First do a few minutes of easy skills for treats, then let the dogs romp together. That way they learn: We focus on the human first - we take their rewards - THEN we play with each other. Because it sounds like your dog already has a lot of value for playing with other dogs and less value for training with you, I would be careful to e.g. out him in daycare for too long. We want to balance out the values. If you decide to do daycare, I'd do it on a limited basis, maybe a half day per week at first and making sure that the love for other dogs does NOT outweigh his love for working with you :)

[@markbohn3374]

Very helpful video, thanks so much!

[@spiritdogtraining]

Thank you, I am glad you like it :)

[@showmethehoney1475]

Love all your videos!

[@rebecama85]

This is so helpful! My dog is not super hungry in the morning, so I started to give him breakfast during the morning train, it was game-changing to build up his food drive. Atm all his food is either during training, walks, sniffing games, puzzles, licking mats, chewing toys... no more free food. Engagement is higher, and he seems happier in general :) But still struggling to get a great high-value treat for more challenging setups, any tips on good ones available in Europe? Here in Portugal, the Alpha Spirit is very popular (and more appealing than his kibble), but not really that sparkling.

[@spiritdogtraining]

Hi There! Glad you found it helpful. Unfortunately I'm not sure what you'd have in your specific area. I know that sometimes just cooking straight liver or chicken can be a good option for high value!

[@masaorel6530]

My dog is facing some digestion problems, so i need to stick to raw meat and freeze-dried treats. What do you guys feed if you need to stick to meat? Or how much freeze-dried treats can i give instead of meat? I maybe overfeed meat in the bowl, but he would eat everything in the house or in the yard, but not in new environments. Also any good freeze dried food in Europe?

[@Trellgotdada]

My dog is every shy and anxious . She’s a pitbull puppy born February 20, 2024 . I try to train but she’s too scared and shy of everything I give her chicken and everything nothing helps .

[@spiritdogtraining]

Hi There, I'm sorry to hear this. Does your dog like treats inside just not outside? How does meal time go?

[@Trellgotdada]

@@spiritdogtraining shell eat chicken nuggets stuff like that , just always worried . Ever since I met her . I try and take her to the dog park and interact she does but then she gets nervous . It’s weird like one minute she’s okay next she’s losing it . I leave she cries . Then feeding time it’s okay she eats . Kibble .

[@Trellgotdada]

@@spiritdogtraining she also doesn’t play with toys , sometimes at night she will grab her pork chop wraped bone and crew it .

[@spiritdogtraining]

@@Trellgotdada In the house will she eat her regular meals like kibble? For many dogs the dog park can be very overwhelming and scary, she may just be at a stage where she needs to observe from afar!

[@Trellgotdada]

@@spiritdogtraining My Chihuahua has more ⚽️’s . 😂😂😂 he an ankle bitter and my pitbull is scared of everything . Lord she’s scared of jumping off my car . I love her to death it’s a little funny to me…. I’ve notice she’s been learning to bark and place from my Chihuahua 😂💕

[@doomermagyar5238]

I just adopted an Australian cattle dog and she is not food motivated. Inside she will take treats but outside she will not. I have tried the steps in your videos, feeding her treats when she follows a command inside before moving outside, however, even inside she does not seem interested in the treats. I have tried 100% meat based treats but she still seems very uninterested. She gets half a cup of kibble in the morning and at night and no treats or table scraps in between. Still her food drive is not motivated. I have tried using a ball to train her too but she will just stare at it even when I try to lure her and do nothing. I have tried praise as a reward but that does not seem to do much either to motivate her. I don’t know what else I can do to train her :(

[@spiritdogtraining]

How does she eat her meals? You mentioned even inside she doesn't seem that interested in treats but does she eat her meals well? Has she always been like this? Let me know!

[@dawnlawrencefloen]

Our dog has food allergies. He is only allowed the food the vet recommended because it's anallergic. Therefore, no treats. Or use his food as his treat, which we've done, but he isn't well motivated by it, even at meal times. Now what?

[@spiritdogtraining]

Hi Dawn, One of my own dogs is exactly in the same boat, she can only eat hydrolyzed kibble and nothing else. While this eliminates the option to seek higher-value treats, all other ideas that I show in the video still work! By the way: Pretty much all kibbles come as a canned version, too. Have you tried to train with this canned version of your allergy food? You could for example put it into a squeeze pouch!

[@katriendeylgat4471]

Any suggestions on how to you use fresh food as a treat since it is not solid? Although I really like the idea, I assume that this must be messy and impractical.

[@spiritdogtraining]

The "pebble-like" fresh treats are actually not messy or impractical at all :) Eg these: freshpet.com/dog/freshpet-select/tender-chicken-small-dog-food/#/ They don't crumble and you can just feed them like a regular dry treat :)

[@katriendeylgat4471]

@@spiritdogtraining thanks for the feedback. I am almost desperate trying to find training food for my picky Chiwinee who also has a VERY sensitive digestive system. He Loves to be trained but he needs to get something valuable in return. Since he eats only a cup of food a day, his treats can only be his daily food allowance. Tulliver in Santa Fe recommended Pure Vita kibble. 3 days in a row he threw up that kibble after only eating about 5 very small pieces and he ate it only because there wasn't anything else!

[@spiritdogtraining]

@@katriendeylgat4471 I am sorry to hear that, I also have one dog who has digestive troubles :( I would recommend to work with a vet on this ... perhaps your dog has some food sensitivities that should be looked into. Once you find a kibble that works - most kibbles have a canned version as well, and that canned version usually tastes much better to them! You could use that as a training treat?

[@katriendeylgat4471]

@@spiritdogtraining I have talked to the vet about it. A complicating factor is that he sometimes eats stuff on the trails or park that he shouldn’t (and might be the real reason for his digestive issues). Loose leash training has helped quite a bit with that but occasionally he will eat pieces of plastic, tissues… It is true that he loves canned food, but using that as a treat is truly messy, right?

[@spiritdogtraining]

@@katriendeylgat4471 You can put the wet food in a squeeze tube, works really well!

[@elissachasen2528]

Another great way to feed treats for small dogs is by dropping them on the ground.

[@pinkydibs]

Remember some dog parks and freedom fields for hire ask you not to scatter feed, as used by other dogs with allergies.

[@lynsul]

Can I give my little dog freeze dried salmon for cats? He loves fishy bits!

[@spiritdogtraining]

Hi There! If the only ingredient is salmon/it's straight freeze dried salmon that's totally fine to use! They actually sell bigger bags at certain pet stores and sometimes costco of bigger pieces and/or bigger bags that usually work out cheaper of freeze dried salmon and/or other fish for dogs that you may want to look into!

[@dr.denamangiamele8590]

We are a vegan household so no meat in the frig etc. Also, I have owned dogs for decades and with this diet, their feces is always perfectly formed, no constipation, and incredibly little to no odor - so I don’t want to start feeding meat. He loves broccoli, zucchini, some nut butter based treats and greenies (but too many of these in a day leads to G.I. upset, so I chop the smallest size into about 4-5 teenie bites already). But he would never choose any of these over reacting to a dog that is barking at him on a walk. I plan to try making your recipe for nut butter treats - any other suggestions to use for reactivity training?

[@shainabeil4320]

I'm so curious about this. My husband and I are vegan, but we feed our dog a meat-based diet. I'd love to chat about your experience as my husband has asked if we can feed our dog vegan since he's seen some articles that suggest this is ok. Just curious how this works for you. Thanks!

[@dr.denamangiamele8590]

@@shainabeil4320 I’m actually a veterinarian and both of our small dogs eat V-Dog and they love it. Very small kibble size and it ended up when he was a puppy it was the only food one of my finicky eaters would eat. He’s also the one that begs for broccoli, zucchini and loves green smoothie drizzled on top of his kibble. For energy reference, both dogs walk with me 4.5-5 miles/day, no problem….

[@sawtarring2108]

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