The problematic treat pattern
The problematic treat pattern consists of trigger (e.g. pain or desire) and reward (treat, attention) that is coped with using an unsustainable solution. The manner in which that reward strategy is working creates problems within the system – Jam is resolving short-term problems (hunger) with a suboptimal solution (unhealthy treat) for the long term.
Related to the bad habit with treats is the enabling treat consumption pattern, which I’m illustrating here but not engaging directly – Jam had a bad treat habit and I was enabling her problematic habit. Maybe I’ll engage this in a separate post if the point here doesn’t come across fully.
Note that Jam does not have a problem with over-eating, it’s just treats! I can free-feed her and she’ll pace herself well; I don’t free feed her because she seems to enjoy fresh out of the box kibble and the “bowl ritual”.
Background / context
I have a medical issue that I would prefer not to discuss publicly and so I got a service animal to help me. My dog (sweet momma jam) is a phenom and has a special ability that allows her to curb my problem before it happens or at least reduce the challenges that I experience from it.
Wonderful, right?
My dog is INCREDIBLY CUTE! Definitely in the running for cutest dog anywhere if you ask me.
She is very, very special. When I got her, I asked the trainer (Royal Frenchel) for a very, very specific thing, paid all the money I could afford, and waited around a year to get her. Ultimately, I ended up with Jam; the overall process required a lot of patience and negotiation but it was worth it!
Before I got Jam, I was struggling with my problems and they prevented me from being able to do all the things I wanted to do – or at a minimum, I couldn’t do the things I enjoy as frequently as I wanted to do them. After I got Sweet Momma Jam, my problems got a whole lot better. However, I realized that in a way, I created a new problem for lil Jam babe through our new found (best) friendship.
In the dynamic that exists between my dog and myself, I have noticed a bad pattern within myself. See – although Jam is great about regulating her intake of regular dog food – Jam, really likes treats, likes them a little too much. Jam will do just about anything for a treat. And out of an abundance of empathy and love. I sometimes give her treats when she should not get a treat.
As a result of me giving her treats too often, I was finding that Jam had been less able to help me with my problem and do the job she was trained for. Jam also has new problems with her attitude and interactions with other animals and is distracted from her duties to help me. For example, Jam sneakily “provokes” other dogs and guards resources (such as treats) when the situation gets crowded with other animals. I can’t read her thoughts but maybe stressful situations make her treat seeking.
It’s been really hard for me to understand Jam’s problem. As a human, I can be thoughtful and mindful about what I eat. I notice in myself when I’m having too much food and I’m able to systematically address my problematic behaviors. For example, if I’m gaining weight, getting atrophy from a lack of exercise, or struggling with things like running up the stairs, I take it as a signal that I’m doing something wrong and I change my habits – exercise more, eat less, change my diet, and so on. With Jam, she has no such discipline for treats – Jam eats all the treats she can get and eagerly will Pac-Man treats to the point of illness.
How we identified we had a problem
My dog pulls on her leash a lot when we go on walks. She does this to try and coerce me into getting her way and get a treat. My dog begs, pleads, and speaks to try and get extra treats. My dog even does this to other people when they are around if she suspects that they have treats.
She is using the system that has worked for her in the past to try and achieve her goal of getting a treat and resolving her treat desire. Maybe Jam even goes so far as to value her worth by whether she can get a treat out of someone.
The breaking point – Trigger Warning: dog anatomy
Over time, after Sweet Momma Jam had gotten WAY too many treats and got a clogged anal gland. The gland eventually ruptured requiring I bring Jam to the vet.
This was a very scary moment for me – and for Jam. As I was bringing her to the vet to have her clogged gland exercised, I started thinking about what I had done wrong and came around to realizing that I had been enabling Jam by giving her too many treats.
Therapy and our framework for breaking the problematic treat cycle
“Jam, it’s time for a change.” I told Jam as I gave her an eensy weensy “No Scoot” treat instead of her old favorite – big chunks of stinky dried lamb lung. I explored the boundaries that I need to maintain with Jam and decided that treats for Jam should be limited and constrained to things that are less likely to result in another trip to the vet.
I realized that I needed to engage the reason that I was feeding Jam treats “She likes me more when I give her treats, I want her to give me treats to make her love me, so I give her treats” and come up with a more powerful way to love her, “I love Jam and I want for her to be healthy, so I will restrain myself from giving her too many unhealthy treats.”
I then realized that in order to help Jam maintain her own boundaries with other people, that she should for the time being be kitted out in a No Treats vest to support her on her journey to curbing her bad habit. As unconscionable as it may seem, this feels like the right thing to do for her health and it helps her maintain safe boundaries with other people (or as Jam seems to think of them – treat dispensers).
Left Angle
Right angle:
Center Angle:
Damn she still gives me that “gimme a treat” look but I’m having an easier time maintaining her and my boundaries when she wears the vest.
With great power comes great responsibility
Shout out uncle Ben! If you are in a situation like I was in where your dog is eating too many treats, you should consider the ways that you can discourage them from having too many treats and should support them in becoming healthier.
One of the things I’m doing to help Jam is to avoid eating in front of her because this can trigger her expectation that she’s gonna get a treat. When you have influence and others look up to you – like Jam looks up to me – those dogs (and people) around you will model their behavior on what you do and can get stuck into a terrible cycle related to bad habits. I’m not judging anyone, I could be wrong and can’t make decisions for what other people feel is right to do, this is just my understanding of what is right for me and how I can help Jam.
Also, if abstaining from eating around your dog is not your chosen solution, you can always establish and maintain safe boundaries like Jam and I are doing to prevent dogs and people from getting in their own way. One way of phrasing the boundary that I have with Jam is, “I won’t eat when Jam’s watching me.” Another is “I will protect Jam from engaging in her treat spiral by withholding treats from her and only keeping treats around that won’t enable her bad habits.”
Establishing and maintaining boundaries can be difficult when your dog wants so desperately to do what you’re doing – eating in my example here. It’s entirely up to you how you manage this extremely difficult and challenging problem. I have had such a difficult heartbreaking time through this exploration (Jam had to go to the vet!!!!) that my solution that I will uphold is to set a good example in front of Jam in addition to supporting her by keeping her from having too many treats and being thoughtful when giving treats to other dogs too.
I’ll add that if this method isn’t effective enough to curb Jam’s problem, we might have to take her to obedience school for a more aggressive solution. For now, this solution seems to be working.
If you have a dog that is eating too many treats and are interested in talking about how to address the underlying problem or just want to vent, email habits@ourfriendgus.com or DM me on social media – I’m happy to listen and offer some more tips that have worked with Jam that might work in your situation as well.
Metaphors from popular media that may help us understand
- Wheel of Time – In the Wheel of time, “the true dragon” confronts a major problem in the power (Saiden) that some of the lucky characters in the story have in their repertoire of abilities. Unfortunately, this power comes with a side effect – “the taint” – that is effectively a curse that makes people with power do bad things and freak people out over time. Through the dragon’s journey, he is able to “remove the taint from Saiden” and cleanse the group of special people from the problem that eventually effects them as they go through their lives bearing the power that makes them special.
- Lord of the Rings – The moment when Gandolf elevates his power and scares Bilbo Baggins when Bilbo refuses to return the ring of power is an amazing example of demonstrating humility and control in the face of a powerful draw. “Do not take me for some conjurer of cheap tricks!!!! I am NOT trying to rob you, I am trying to help you.” This particular example is about the difficulty in helping someone who becomes abusive when they are suffering from unhealthy habits.
Songs that may help us understand Jam’s struggle
Full disclosure about Jam’s problem and TMI
I’m exaggerating the circumstance of Jam’s problem to illustrate a point.
Jam is a trained service animal and has comprehensively demonstrated an ability to perform her service function without disrupting others. Jam will be wearing her Do Not Feed jacket in social situations to prevent more trips to the vet from too many treats but she’s been doing great with the changes we’ve made. The problematic behavior in Jam is extremely subtle and in no way has impacted her ability to be my service animal; however, Jam did in fact need to go to the vet for the clogged gland issue and I’m happy to share the (somewhat disturbing) photo of her hind-quarter situation if you’d like to see – it happens to a lot of dogs.
DM me on social media or email me if you would like to see the swollen gland, I don’t want to put everybody through the “eww gross” react that it causes.