MetPet.com Staff Writer
Dogs can be biased toward their right or left sides although
some dogs do not seem to care. Knowing which side your dog
prefers can make living with him just that much easier and more
interesting. For example, if you are training your dog to shake
hands, it helps to start with his favored side.
Try
this experiment with food. Take two identical bowls and place a handful of
kibble in the same amount in both bowls. Place them down, side-by-side,
several feet away from your dog. They should be far enough away so that
your dog has to walk to them. This prevents him from being biased by the
nearness of one bowl over the other.
Try
this several times varying the food and bowls but making sure that they are
equal. Then try this same experiment the next day to see if your results are
the same.
If your dog has a decided handedness, ratchet up the experiment. Try
varying either the bowl or the food and see if the choice of bowl or food is
sufficient to overcome his choice of right or left-handedness. Just
make sure to try one variation at a time so you know just how strong his
preference is.
