Beyond the Bowl: Simple Ways to Boost Your Pup’s Food Rewards

Using food in games can be an effective training tool. photo: AdobeStock

Like most dog folks, you probably use food rewards as part of your pup’s training. And of course, you can always simply hand your dog a little treat for a job well done. 

But what’s the fun in that when there are so many other ways to make that treat even more exciting? Imagine tossing that same treat in the air and watch your dog catch it mid-flight. Or rolling it across the ground and letting them chase after their prize. Or hiding it somewhere nearby and letting them sniff it out. 

These aren’t complicated tricks. They’re simple, easy ways to transform ordinary food rewards into something your dog finds even more intriguing than they already do. The best part? These delivery methods work with any treat, in any location, and take zero special equipment. Let’s explore some of these effortless games that can instantly upgrade your dog’s food experience.

Catching Treats

Catching treats is a classic dog trick, but it’s also a fantastic way to deliver food rewards that adds an element of play to training. Once your dog masters catching, you can use it as a reward for behaviors they already know well. Ask your dog to sit, and once they comply, say “Catch” and toss their cookie as the reward.

To teach your dog to catch, start by holding a treat between your pointer finger and thumb to get your dog’s attention. Say “Ready” and gently wiggle the cookie until you can see your dog’s eyes tracking the treat between your fingers. At that point, drop the treat straight down, right into their mouth. The goal isn’t distance at first; you’re essentially holding the cookie just above your dog’s head and dropping it directly down. As their catching improves, you can begin to toss the cookie and gradually add more distance.

Bowling Treats

Another way to deliver treats is to roll them across the floor like you’re bowling. This 

allows your dog to chase the treat and taps into their natural predatory instincts, transforming what would otherwise be a simple handoff into an engaging chase game. This technique takes a little practice - you’ll need to work on your own rolling skills to get treats to glide smoothly across the floor - but once you’ve got the technique down, it’s ready for prime time.

For a fun variation, ask your dog to lie down and the moment they comply, say “Get it” and roll the cookie across the room. Call them back over to you and ask them to lie down again. When they do, say “Get it” and roll the next cookie in the opposite direction across the room. This creates an active training game that combines skill practice with physical exercise.

Chasing Hand Treats

For this delivery method, keep the treat in your hand and as your dog goes to get it, pull your hand away, causing them to chase the treat before it’s delivered. Start by placing a bit of food tucked in the fleshy part of your palm between your thumb and the base of your palm. Then place your palm against your dog’s nose. As your dog starts to smell and potentially lick your hand, quickly pull your hand away from them, keeping it parallel to the floor so your dog chases your hand for a couple of feet. Then simply slide your thumb to the side and deliver the treat.

This one takes a bit of practice to get both you and your dog comfortable with the concept. Once they understand the game, you can start incorporating it with chosen behaviors. Ask your dog to do a favorite trick like “Spin” and once they complete it, mark it with “Yes,” grab a cookie, place it under your thumb, and present the cookie chase to your dog. (Obviously, don’t use this method with any dog who’s prone to nipping or doesn’t have good control of their mouth).

Sniffing Treats

This one’s beautifully simple: just hide some treats and let your dog sniff them out. There are countless ways to hide treats, but you can start by walking around a room and tucking little cookies under the edge of a chair, around a counter, or even just in the middle of the floor. The hiding spots don’t need to be challenging at first.

Once you’ve hidden the treats, bring your dog to the entryway of the room you’ve just seeded with cookies and hold them gently at the threshold for a moment. This gives them time to get their nose working and process all those tantalizing smells. As soon as you can see your dog has realized there are tasty treasures in the room (watch for that active sniffing and head movement) release them and tell them to “Go find it.”

Mix It Up

The beauty of these delivery methods is their simplicity: no special equipment, no complex training protocols, just creative ways to make your dog’s regular treats more engaging. Try rotating between several different methods to keep things interesting or match the delivery style to what you’re working on. Need to burn some energy? Bowling treats across a long hallway gets dogs moving. Working on focus and coordination? Catching games are perfect. 

Your dog already loves their treats. These techniques just help you make the most of that natural enthusiasm - and that’s a win for both of you.