What About Food Toys? – Bad Dog Agility Academy

What About Food Toys?

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  • JamminCosmo says:
    May 17, 2020 at 4:44 pm

    Thanks for addressing this. I have found my food motivated dog to be less interested in toys if there is also food available, so food toys work as a reward for us but not as a bridge to tugging. I have been working on a retrieve over the last few months & started that with a new toy (Holee Roller) rather than a lotus ball or other food toy we have used in the past.

  • kira.wong.218@gmail.com says:
    May 15, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    Is it bad to continue using food toys (at this point, a lotus ball) while I’m working on tug drive separately? I understand that I won’t be using tug as a reward until my dog has a lot more tug drive and sees tugging as a reward, but is there any reason I can’t continue to use a lotus ball, or throwing a ball and rewarding a retrieve with food in training? We do already use a lotus ball quite extensively (ex to reward weaves).

    • Esteban Fernandezlopez says:
      May 15, 2020 at 6:32 pm

      It’s perfectly okay to continue to use whatever system you have in place, especially if it works for you, while you develop tugging with a toy/leash on the side. When the new behavior is really strong, you can start working it into simple sequences, like a single obstacle, and then gradually shift the amount of time you use it compared to your old system. You may find that you can use your leash tugging almost all the time when it’s ready, but still use the lotus ball for very difficult work, like threadle/backside training where the reward rates naturally drop due to handler errors.

  • Ed Minar says:
    May 8, 2020 at 12:29 am

    Hi I’ve just been through the introductory modules. Do you recommend that we work through from the beginning, or should we also be looking at games and special topics from the start?

  • tlburrows65@gmail.com says:
    May 7, 2020 at 9:58 pm

    Is there a bumper that has the texture of the lotus ball? I have a 21 month old dog that I can get to tug on a lotus ball which I leave open and put on a bungee. I can even put the lotus ball around her leash and get her to tug. I’ve had her vet checked to rule out teeth and jaw issues. I think it is more her preference. I am wanting to move her into something easier to throw. Or do I settle with the lotus ball and work on getting her to tug on the leash without the lotus ball attached to it. I am at a loss on which way to go.

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