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  1. #1
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    What's Higher Value Than Food or Treats for Your Dog?

    WE've all seen posts from folks exclaiming in frustration how treats don't work. No wonder, a mere 1/4 inch cube of real roast beef? Or running? Let's RUN. I bet it would be the same if I used a 4 lb steak. Let's RUN. Even 5 pieces of the beef, heck no, let's RUN.

    That's why throwing the ball is a higher reward for Oban, his reward is he gets not only to run, he can actually catch the ball. Not so the deer, which he has learned.

    In the house Oban is not a counter surfer. He's really very, very good. I've mistakenly (the phone rang or something) left plates with meal remnants including meat on the edge of the counter and he doesn't touch them. The only thing he will jump up and grab is his leash. When we go out in the car I fold his leash and tie it in a knot and he carries it out to the car, not wearing it. I have put the tied leash on the counter, at the back, a couple of times then went to get something I forgot only to hear a clunk and a chink as he reaches up to get it. In this case it's not the actual leash that's so much of a reward as the idea in his mind that it means a drive in the car and/or a walk. I think.

    How about your pup?

  2. #2
    Senior Dog
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    Hoping to get new pup to think "ball and leash" is so much more better than food. Jake felt the best day ever was a good long bout of ball throwing and a nice walk afterwards. Treats were good, but nothing beat spending time with his humans. So miss our buddy.

    KAZ

  3. #3
    Senior Dog BaconsMom's Avatar
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    A bumper, or some popcorn will get him running like mad
    Julie & Jake, Bacon's Humans

    Instagram: @mrbaconthelab


    Born: 9/02/13

    Gotcha: 11/08/13

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    In memory of Lily 1/1995 - 2/2/2012

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  4. #4
    Senior Dog
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    In some dog classes, you need an alternative reward to food, and it took us a LOOONNGGG time to find one for Kimber. She is very food-oriented. I tried many different toys that other people (including lab owners) had success with, but Kimber didn't show much interest at all until I tried a triangular blue frisbee with squeakers in it I found at Petsmart. We only used it for agility and she would go crazy for it! Even now, if I take it out of the closet, she starts whimpering and jumping for it.
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
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    Miss Kimber, CGC, 6/15/2005-1/27/2018 forever in our hearts



  5. The Following User Says Thank You to kimbersmom For This Useful Post:

    tennysonlab (06-23-2014)

  6. #5
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    Wow, I haven't found anything more important than food for either of mine, unless it was socks for Chase and see where that ended up? In surgery. Clearly there is a hierarchy of food desirability, but pretty much any toy gets no respect from my 2 if there's any morsel of food they might have instead. Must look for blue squeaky triangle of desire....
    Sue

    Chase 9/29/2006- 6/30/2017 Always in our hearts
    Lark 12/25/2012- 2/2/22
    Henry 7/14/18
    Joey 5/14/2022

    “Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”

    Mary Oliver, Hidden Content

  7. #6
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    Food trumps all in my house. Swimming for Maxx and a new pink stuffy for Emma are 2nd in line but definitely not as high of a reward as food.
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    Tammy
    Maxx and Emma Jean

    Ozzy - 10/2002 - 06/2011 - Rest well my sweet boy. You are forever remembered, forever missed, forever in my heart.

  8. #7
    Senior Dog
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    Here's the magical frisbee that finally caught Kimber's interest:

    Amazon.com : Petsport Firehose Flying Disk : Flying Discs : Pet Supplies

    We'd tried wubbas, stuffed toys, ropes, etc- but this was the one that did it for her. Your lab's mileage may vary, of couse!
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
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    Miss Kimber, CGC, 6/15/2005-1/27/2018 forever in our hearts



  9. #8
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Archie loves his squeaky ball. Darn thing is so grungy and nasty, but he loves that ball. So far, if I carry a variety of treats, he responds well but for instant results, nothing works like that squeaky ball. Haven't figured out how to use a live squirrel yet; that would top everything.

  10. #9
    Senior Dog
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    Danny's a toy/ball dog....very self-entitled, everything is his....but he also loves food.

    Sunnie's interest in balls/toys is only to take them away from Dan....she's not really all that interested otherwise. Sunnie loves walkies but food is definitely number one.

  11. #10
    Real Retriever Kain's Mommy's Avatar
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    Kain's a foodie, the only thing I can think of that's a close 2nd are those Kong squeaky balls. He has liked those since he was a pup.
    Katie and Kain
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