My Dog Won't Take Food Rewards

Training Dogs with Food Rewards - Version 2024

There is something every new trainer needs to know. If your dog won't take food, if it's not interested in your high-value food reward, it's either:

1 - full and not hungry

2 - it's distracted

3 - it's stressed

If my dog is paying attention to the screaming kids next door the dog will often find the kids more interesting than the food reward we have.

If my dog is stressed, because of the environment I have chosen to train in, the dog will not take food. Look at it like this: if you are scared do you feel like eating? Probably not. If you are mad, do you feel like eating, probably not. STRESS KILLS FOOD DRIVE.