# Can your Hav Catch Treats?



## Diann (Apr 25, 2011)

I tried to teach Lucy to catch a treat with her mouth. I think the treat dropped on her little nose about 15 times; still no clue that maybe she could open her mouth and catch the treat. Do your dogs know know to do catch treats tossed to them? How do you teach a dog how to do this?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Nope. Kodi has been an epic fail at this!:biggrin1:


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Probably less than half of ours can, and it doesn't go with other co-ordination abilities at all. Meg is the champ at it. She can catch a piece of kibble before it hits the floor in the middle of the whole pack trying to get it, almost every time. Posh is unbelievable at catching a ball, but he doesn't even try to catch a piece of kibble. Twinkle is even still pretty good at it. The ones of ours who are good at it, pretty much were automatically to start with. We've never worked with any on them on it.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tom King said:


> Probably less than half of ours can, and it doesn't go with other co-ordination abilities at all. Meg is the champ at it. She can catch a piece of kibble before it hits the floor in the middle of the whole pack trying to get it, almost every time. Posh is unbelievable at catching a ball, but he doesn't even try to catch a piece of kibble. Twinkle is even still pretty good at it. The ones of ours who are good at it, pretty much were automatically to start with. We've never worked with any on them on it.


Nice to know Kodi comes by it honestly!:biggrin1: thank heavens he got Posh's TALENTS as well as his poor treat-catching ability!


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

hmmm,,, I have never tried that! I'll have to give it a shot later today and see what she does.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

When I have had two dogs, they could catch treats. I would get outside with hamburger or hotdogs--some kind of meat and toss bits to the dogs. They pretty much learned to catch the treat before the other one got it. My schnauzers would get off to the side and at the last minute run between the Alsation and the flying meat. Really when it is a competion it is not hard. Now Rosie only has Josie Wales to compete with and Josie couldn't care less. Maybe I am wrong, but I think that if I had two dogs again, they would both catch the treats.


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

No, if I try it he looks at me like I'm retarded. HOWEVER, if something falls from the counter he can be across the room, into the kitchen and have it snatched out of the air before it even hits the floor!


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

The treats bounce off of Jack's head. Sometimes, he ducks in terror. lol!


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## sprorchid (Mar 30, 2010)

I tried this once. caught 2 out of 28. 2 caught were of the last 5.

very sad.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

sprorchid said:


> I tried this once. caught 2 out of 28. 2 caught were of the last 5.
> 
> very sad.


Well, his average was going up then!:biggrin1:


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## sprorchid (Mar 30, 2010)

both my boys I've had since puppydom, can't catch worth a ****...

I just keep hitting them in the nose/face with food. oh well.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

One other thing that works most of the time when trying to get them to catch treats is to toss and immediately go for it yourself. If you beat them to it, they don't get it. That worked with me and one dog. But as far as Rosie is concerned, some things are just not worth the trouble to teach. lol


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## sprorchid (Mar 30, 2010)

My big girl, Kara... she's smart, and if she doesn't know what you are tossing at her, she'll move so it won't hit her (for the most part), and after she investigates, then forthcoming treats will be caught mid air.

I need to work the boys on this skill...I always thought all dogs did it naturally...


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

I tried tossing a small yummy morsel to Whimsy yesterday and it landed in her very thick long hair on the back of her neck. She shook to get it out and it went down in there deeper. I finally had to go over to her and dig it out LOL I tried tossing another one and when she saw it coming her way she jumped to the side and waited for it to drop on the floor. I'm sure she was wondering what the hell I was trying to do. Oh well.


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## Ruby's Mom (Aug 23, 2009)

Ruby couldn't catch a treat at all, and our puppy class teacher told us that dogs can usually learn by watching another dog who can catch treats. Ruby watched her basset hound friend in the class who was great at catching treats and after maybe 10-15 times seeing him catch the treat she was able to do it, and could then catch treats almost every time you tossed them.


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## Diann (Apr 25, 2011)

sprorchid said:


> I always thought all dogs did it naturally...


I did too. I think I'll try getting it before she does, maybe a little competition will inspire her.


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## Diann (Apr 25, 2011)

whimsy said:


> I tried tossing a small yummy morsel to Whimsy yesterday and it landed in her very thick long hair on the back of her neck. She shook to get it out and it went down in there deeper. I finally had to go over to her and dig it out LOL I tried tossing another one and when she saw it coming her way she jumped to the side and waited for it to drop on the floor. I'm sure she was wondering what the hell I was trying to do. Oh well.


LOL. Poor Whimsy.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

It is definitely competition. Daughter brought their rotie-lab mix with them for the Hollidays. He just naturally catchs the food. So, I decided to take advantage of his talent. Put them both in a stay (rosie not so good--kept rushing in) But I just put her back or tossed to Rusty. After him getting all the treats she finally decided to sit and stay so I would toss to her. Course it took a while, but she began to catch them in the air. Rusty dog is so well behaved, but he would try to get the treat before it reached her. In other words, if she didn't catch it, he got it off the floor before she could. If they had stayed another day or so, Rosie would have it down pat. I couldn't care less about her catching in midair, its the sit, stay that I would like her to get.


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

try popcorn


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Update: Posh can catch a treat! I had posted earlier that he didn't seem interested in it. Tonight, after their meal, Pam had left out some sort of treat for me to give them. The treats were sweet potato somethings, about 3" long and a little smaller than a green bean.

Posh can not only catch them, he's AMAZING at it. He watches it coming and tilts his head, in what looks like slow motion, and grabs it with it landing horizontally in his mouth regardless of it's position in the air.

I tried soft liver treats and he grabs them with what looks like no wasted effort, or any urgency in getting to it. Then I tried kibble, and he watched it hit the floor, then gets it...?????


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Guess he told you what he thinks of kibble!!!:biggrin1:


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