# Why does my dog spit out treats from other people?



## helenczap (Feb 7, 2016)

I have a 1 year old German Shepherd that will always spit out her treats when other people are giving her treats. For example, we were at my husbands cousins house and his aunt had treats. She had my dog sit and gave her a treat but she immediately spit it out. I came over, picked up the treat, had her sit again, and gave her the treat. She gobbled it up immediately. I've always thought she was just picky with food but she won't eat unless it's in my hands.. Any idea why she does this? It's not a bad thing (I hope).. I just want to know why she does this to educate myself more about my dogs behavior.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

My female GSD is the same way and she is now 4.5 yrs old. I never trained her that way, but I like it. Sometimes people get offended, but it is what it is. I figure she is being polite by taking it


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## helenczap (Feb 7, 2016)

llombardo said:


> My female GSD is the same way and she is now 4.5 yrs old. I never trained her that way, but I like it. Sometimes people get offended, but it is what it is. I figure she is being polite by taking it


I really like it too and I also didn't train her that way. It makes me feel that we have a closer relationship than I thought


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Yes is a question i was thinking of asking myself. Max started doing this at first i thought he did not like persons smell. he would spit out with a disgust look on his face. It is a good thing though.


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## Rosy831 (Feb 27, 2016)

My 3 year old also does this, but he will take and eat treats from people he knows well. I also didn't train this but I'm kinda glad he does it. My 18 month old, not so much. He's such a chow hound he will take treats from who ever offers, I do wish he were more like the other, there are crazy people out there!


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Dogs won't accept treats if they're feeling tense.Your dogs probably aren't comfortable with people outside of their own pack.Samson won't take treats from anyone else either.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Personally I think it's a combination of trust and that the person's smell/taste is on that treat and it's foreign to them.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

He chews it and spits it out at first i thought there was something in it the treat at first the way he spit it out. The look on his face photo worthy. He chewed the biscuit but didnt swallow it spit out in pieces. Then i gave the person a hot dog and he took from them and spit it out just the as if poisoned like he was grossed out. He took from me and ate it. He seems to be slowly get the idea not to take candy from strangers it just does not feel right, taste right or smell right. Yes people do get insulted.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Jax08 said:


> Personally I think it's a combination of trust and that the person's smell/taste is on that treat and it's foreign to them.


As simple but yet as puzzling as it is -Yes this is what it sounds like to me.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

dogma13 said:


> Dogs won't accept treats if they're feeling tense.Your dogs probably aren't comfortable with people outside of their own pack.Samson won't take treats from anyone else either.


Mine takes them, but then spits them. She is a very outgoing kind of dog, so in our case its not her feeling tense. She is a confident dog. She adores kids and won't eat treats from them either. It either comes from my hand or immediate family or its a no go for her. I know what your saying though, because that is the truth about them not taking treats if they are not comfortable or stressed, but that would generally apply if they won't take a treat period from anyone while in that state, including the owner.


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## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

That is what I am hoping for my next pup! I think it is a great thing! Where I live, in a foreign country, there are hazards such as cane toads, which thankfully don't come out until dark, so you always leash your dog to pee after dark. Also, the people here do not think of dogs the way we do, and have been known to poison what they consider "nuisance"dogs. People who intend to rob your house when you are away sometimes are not deterred by a big dog, either - they toss some poison laced meat to it, wait, then enter your home.
There are a bazillion street dogs here, and I have been fortunate to assist with the spay/neuter program here. I will consider the "leave it" command one of the most important. And I will never allow my dog to ever accept a treat from anyone except myself!


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

maxtmill said:


> That is what I am hoping for my next pup! I think it is a great thing! Where I live, in a foreign country, there are hazards such as cane toads, which thankfully don't come out until dark, so you always leash your dog to pee after dark. Also, the people here do not think of dogs the way we do, and have been known to poison what they consider "nuisance"dogs. People who intend to rob your house when you are away sometimes are not deterred by a big dog, either - they toss some poison laced meat to it, wait, then enter your home.
> There are a bazillion street dogs here, and I have been fortunate to assist with the spay/neuter program here. I will consider the "leave it" command one of the most important. And I will never allow my dog to ever accept a treat from anyone except myself!


Call me crazy but I have in the past went and hot meat, put gloves on and tossed it over the fence to test the dogs. The goldens proved to be the problem, they immediately found it and wanted to eat it, but leave it worked, which doesn't help if I'm not out there. Midnite and Misty smelled it and was more willing to walk away and not go back to it. Robyn put her nose in the air, seemed to smell it but never put her nose on it. She was about a foot away from it and kept walking the other way, never even had to tell bed to leave it.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

my boy doesn't like most cookies. Offered Milk Bones he refuses them, even if I offer it to him later. That is fine with me, Milk Bones aren't nutritious anyhow. If I have some RedBarn beef roll with me I'll offer him some of that in exchange


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## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

llombardo said:


> Call me crazy but I have in the past went and hot meat, put gloves on and tossed it over the fence to test the dogs. The goldens proved to be the problem, they immediately found it and wanted to eat it, but leave it worked, which doesn't help if I'm not out there. Midnite and Misty smelled it and was more willing to walk away and not go back to it. Robyn put her nose in the air, seemed to smell it but never put her nose on it. She was about a foot away from it and kept walking the other way, never even had to tell bed to leave it.


Every dog is different! I never give my dogs treats from our table or any human type food. I make my own dog treats, and use them for training purposes, so I am hoping that for my next pup, he will only accept the treats that I make, from only my hand.One of the most pleasurable things about being recently retired is that I have time to make my own dog treats, and I am with my dogs just about 24/7! I love it!


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I never let other people give them treats. It is nice when they don't expect people to be treat dispensers. The crappy treats I get for them at the bank drive thru or gas station go to my pet mice; they are on a grain diet


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## kkimyyabut (6 mo ago)

helenczap said:


> I really like it too and I also didn't train her that way. It makes me feel that we have a closer relationship than I thought


 It means you have a strong bond with her. When I visit the vet with my dog, he never takes the treat from the vet. The vet said it means we created a strong bond with him.


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

I had a dog that wouldn't take treats in obedience class because she was scared. Eventually, she got so she would take treats from me, but no one else. Finally, towards the end of the class, she would take treats from adults, but not kids, as she was nervous of children. 

It was a temperament thing - genetic, unfortunately, as she had never in her life been abused. I was friends with her breeder, and watched her being born, then took her home at 8 weeks.

She never got over the shyness, so I eventually rehomed her to a pet home where nothing much was expected of her. I'd hoped to train her and show her, and was already at my limit with 3 dogs. She got an excellent home with a single woman who just adores her.


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