101 Uses for a Piece of Kibble

Using a dog’s meals as their training treats can be an effective tool in positive reinforcement training methods. photo: AdobeStock

It’s been over 40 years since I first started teaching off-leash puppy socialization and training classes and introduced the use of food lures and food rewards to the world of dog training. At the time, I received considerable flak from on-leash trainers, largely obedience competitors. "But you're bribing the dog!" "She'll only do it if you have treats." But rather than pointing out the many definitional differences between luring, rewarding, and bribing, I compiled a list of 101 uses for a piece of kibble, which I subsequently demonstrated in workshops.

Here’s a sampling of the many different ways to use a food reward. See if they add up to 101.

• Catch your dog doing something 'right.’ This is the essence of all positive reinforcement techniques. Basically, it means you should occasionally reward your dog when they’re acting well behaved, for example when your dog is settled on its bed, and calmly and quietly gnawing on a chew toy. "But why give him a food reward; he's not doing anything!" Precisely! Because the definition of ‘right’ should also include not doing those things that you consider to be 'wrong.’ So give your dog a food reward for not running around, not getting underfoot, not chewing furniture, and not making noise.

• Perform a random act of kindness. Nothing special to this one - just periodically smile, praise, and offer a food reward. As days go by, you'll find your dog watches you and engages more.

• Teach a dog to Sit-Straight at Front or Heel by repeating 50 consecutive one-step Come-Sits or Heel-Sits, but with just 10 food rewards. Only reward the straighter Sits, providing differential reinforcement. 

• Speed up recalls or stop dogs from pulling when heeling by using the lure-reward technique to train "Hustle" and "Steady" on cue. Begin by walking at a steady pace, then alternate walking very fast (“Hustle”) and very slowly (“Steady”), preceding each change of pace with the appropriate verbal cue. Alternate the instructions "Hustle" and "Steady" and reward your dog for each appropriate change in pace.

• Use food as a lure and reward for teaching at least 20 basic dog manners, including body position changes such as Sit, Down, Stand, and Supine Down. Once these are mastered, use food rewards to train longer duration stays in each position, starting with the whack-a-mole partial-second 'stays' and building up to stays measured in minutes.

• Use food to progressively desensitize the most common subliminal or fulminating bite triggers. In desensitization training, the dog receives a piece of kibble for allowing someone to handle various parts of the dog’s body such as the collar region, ears, muzzle, paws, and nether regions. Food rewards can also be used to desensitize a dog to being hugged or stared at; learning cues such as off, take it, or thank you; leaving valued objects alone; or tolerating children, men, or strangers. 

• Use food lures and rewards to prevent or resolve a number of behavior problems, such as teaching dogs to eliminate on cue, find a chew toy, shush on cue, or sit when other dogs or people approach, pass by, or visit. Food training can help resolve behavior problems with a single word cue: outside, toilet, pee, chewtoy, sit, shush, settle.

• Use food rewards to put behavior problems like Speak, Jazz-Up (crazy time), Pull on Leash, Jump-up, and Run Away on cue and then pair them with the cue word that provides the solution, practicing in different settings until picture perfect. Examples: Speak/Shush, Jazz-Up/Settle Down, Pull/Walk by Side (Steady), Jump-Up/Sit, and Run Away/Come.

• Use food rewards to teach tricks like Shake, High Five, Beg, Play Bow, Roll Over, and Wag. These aren’t just cute skills for your dog to show off. They’re actually appeasement behaviors so that you can cue your dog to display a friendly demeanor to put other dogs and people at ease. They can also be used to make your dog feel better by distracting them if they seem sad, worried, or upset.

Remember, just as changing perceptions and emotions can change behavior, so can changing behavior change emotions.

We’re close to the end of my list now, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my personal favorite uses for food rewards. Of course, teaching a pup tricks like balancing a biscuit on his nose is great fun. But for me, it’s teaching a dog to dance. I start with some repetitive Back Up/Comes, then Circle Me Clockwise and Counter-Clockwise, followed by Spins, and then a Figure Eight through my legs. I always add a big long Hug and we finally wind up with a Play Bow to each other. 

I think that about gets us to the 101st use, which is just to offer food as a simple gift for both of you. Because providing a special treat to a dog you love often pleases you just as much as it does them, maybe even more.