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Welcome to this episode of the Sexier than a Squirrel podcast, the podcast that brings you real-life dog training results, and sometimes human training ones too!

This week, we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood topics in dog training: food.

Are you bribing your dog? Creating a treat monster? Or accidentally training the very behaviours you don’t want?

At absoluteDogs, we believe something simple but powerful: every piece of food has a purpose. When you start using food with intention, everything changes. Your dog’s choices, your timing, and the results you see in real life.

In this episode, we break down what’s really going on when you use food in training, and how to turn rewards into a tool that builds trust, clarity, and reliability - not dependency.

We share practical, everyday training games that go way beyond “sit for a biscuit”. Think reinforcing proximity to supercharge your recall, paying for loose lead walking when the world is distracting, and creating positive associations with things like cars, visitors, and door knocks so they become a total non-event.

Got more than one dog? We’ve got you covered there too. We chat about using food to move dogs smoothly from space to space, reducing chaos, ditching the chasing and negotiating, and building a calmer, more cooperative household.

We also tackle noise reactivity and the realities of neighbourhood life, showing you how to use simple pairing strategies to reduce barking and help your dog settle. Plus, the easy calming setups we always have ready - think Kongs, lick mats, and smart crate routines.

And finally, we head into cooperative care - grooming, handling, and vet visits - sharing how simple consent-based games like chin rests and stillness can transform these experiences from stressful to straightforward.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “doing food right”, this episode will change how you see every single treat you deliver.

Ready to learn more? Grab the £1 Games Club trial, explore guided tracks - including Mouse Trap - and see how powerful games and food are when used purposefully and thoughtfully.

https://absolutedogs.me/7daytrial

New to Devon Dogs and want to take advantage of the introductory offer? 

http://www.devondogs.co.uk/product/20-introductory-lesson

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Want even more epic dog training fun and games and solutions to all your dog training struggles? Join us in the AbsoluteDogs Games Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/gamesclub

Want to take your learning to the next level? Jump into the games-based training membership for passionate dog owners and aspiring trainers that know they want more for themselves and their dog -  Pro Dog Trainer Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/prodogtrainerclub 

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