Labs are always good companions as well as foodies. Their food is their life and their motivation. If we go to take food from them, they will get angry and start growling at us. But you can also train them by giving their favorite food the right way. So now we come to know about Labs who are food lovers can do anything. So, the question arises: what are the advantages of A food motivated lab? Now as you know everything in the world has both advantages and disadvantages. So that means this food motivation of lab can be also disadvantageous for us and Labs. So again, the question arises what are the disadvantages of A food motivated lab?
Advantages of a Food Motivated Lab
With lots and lots of researches, I have found various advantages of a food motivated lab. These are as follows:
👉 Easier training:
Labs are highly intelligent dogs and food motivators, so this food motivator point helps in easier training. Moreover, rewards like treats and their favorite foods make their training experience and socialization process more enjoyable and faster.
👉 Strong reinforcement:
Labs, while training can be distracted in the distracting environment. But the food keeps them stay focused during training sessions. Also, food can help to get the desired results repeatedly and fast.
👉 Build a strong bond:
Food serves as a bridge between the owner and Labrador, building a strong bond between them.
👉 Effective behavior management:
Behavior such as biting, barking and chewing can be avoided through redirecting his attention with some of his favorite food or treats and making him do some other trick you taught him. Food could also make him do challenging tasks like vet visits and grooming easily.
👉 Encourages mental stimulation:
By food puzzles, food mental stimulation toys, treat dispensing toys, and playing hide and seek with the treats, you can make his problem-solving ability better.
👉 Reliable recall:
Food motivated Labs are more likely to do the tricks you taught him before faster due to food.
👉 Helps with weight management:
Food rewards can be used as treats instead of actual treats. Also, using low calorie treat can be helpful in managing their weight and avoiding health concerns.
👉 Adaptable to all ages:
Labs throughout their life can be easy to handle, socialize and train with food due to their love for food.
👉 Easiest socialization:
Labs can be easily socialized if food is a part of their socialization process. Also, food can help in reinforcing calm and gentle interactions.
👉 Encourages positive health practices:
Doing health practices that are helpful for Labs like nail clipping, teeth brushing, ear cleaning, and eating medicines can be less stressful for Labs’ owners due to food.
Disadvantages of a Food Motivated Lab
Again with a lot of research, I have found variety of disadvantages of a food motivated lab. These are as follows:
👉 Risk of overfeeding:
Some lab parents while making them do something useful can unknowingly give them more treats that could eventually cause obesity due to high calories. And some may give their lab unhealthy treats without knowing which could increase the weight of lab.
👉 Dependency of food:
Sometimes, a lab can overly depend on food meaning he will only obey the command when he sees his favorite food or treat. This could hinder the development of responsiveness to rewards like praise or love.
👉 Potential for begging behavior:
A food motivated lab can develop some bad habits like begging for food and pestering for food during mealtimes.
👉 Selective obedience:
If food rewards are not used properly to train the lab, he would only response to the command when food is seen by him.
👉 Food aggression or guarding:
Some Labs who are overly possessive of their food may develop food aggression when someone touches their food.
👉 Difficulty in public or distracting environments:
A lab who is motivated with food can go crazy in public places or distracting environments because of smell of food.
👉 Increased training costs:
Expensive and high-quality treats can be an ongoing expenditure for the owners who train their Labs frequently.
👉 Limited effectiveness in some situations:
Labs suffering from extremely high anxiety or stress can refuse treats sometimes. Overuse of food rewards can make the value of lab less and thus, making him less responsive than usual.
👉 Difficulty in managing food rewards:
Some Labs owners excessively use high calorie treats which cause obesity in Labs. So, owners should always check the nutritional value of treats. And also, frequent use of treats and not adding their calories in Labs diet plan can also cause obesity in Labs and worsen.
👉 Health dangers and allergies:
Some treats or human foods acting as treats for Labs can have something that can really cause an allergic reaction or health problems in Labs.
Conclusion
A food motivated lab can be an advantage for training, socialization purposes and building a never breaking bond between lab and its owner. Some advantages of a full motivated lab are effective training and socialization, encouraging mental stimulation and reinforcing behavior.
However, owners should always use food rewards intelligently to avoid potential for allergies or digestive issues, dependency on food and selective obedience.
Lab owners should not only use food rewards but also nonfood rewards like praise and affection so that selective obedience can be avoided.
Thank you for reading this article and stay tuned for more!