24/06/2025
'Taking Turns' is one of the most important skills to teach in multi-dog households. While I will often ask owners to use their dog's name less when they are training - this is only in situations where it is obvious to them who you are talking to! When there are two or more expectant dogs it makes things so much clearer for them to use their names. In the photo below, one of the dogs has decided to hang back, and not jostle for front space with the Inuit. That is Very Polite Behaviour and makes it much less likely that there will be conflict over treats, especially if he knows he will get his reward over there, and not need to push to the front!
NAMING TREATS IN MULTIDOG HOMES-
This is the morning ritual as I eat my toast and marmite (they all LOVE marmite of course as they’re my family😄). I have a wall of (drooling) faces watching me.
One of my dogs isn’t a great sharer (Sylvi!) so we manage interactions around food when other dogs are there. We alway ‘name’ treats and we have a certain order. By naming I mean I say ‘Twig’s toast’, ‘Sylvi’s toast’ and ‘lucky’s toast’ as I feed them a tiny bit. This naming treats makes it really clear to each dog who is getting the food so there is no confusion, no two dogs trying to get the same bit and no disappointment when it’s not their bit.
I also have an order- Twig gets treats before Sylvi, this is nothing to do with making someone the ‘boss’ (as we all know that’s a load of rubbish!). Giving twig a treat first and then Sylvi means that if I ever accidentally drop food/dog chews/anything and twig gets it, Sylvi won’t get cross and try and take it off twig as she knows that she always gets something AFTER Twig does. It makes Sylvi literally feel happy and wag when Twig gets food (as she anticipates that her food will follow). It means I’ve made a conditional emotional response to Twig getting food (Sylvi feels happy when twig gets treats). I’ve done this as I want everyone to get along and I never want the girls to fall out. We also use management of course and Sylvi is fed her meals separately.
Even if you have multiple dogs who all share food nicely, it’s a good idea to name treats as it makes it all predictable for everyone and dogs like things to be predictable!
