Do You Know Your Dog’s Favorite Foods? Try This Viral DIY Test to Find Out

Earlier this year, dog trainer Shannon Spencer posted a video on her company’s TikTok and Instagram accounts (@pawforwarddogtraining) outlining an ingenious test for determining your dog’s food preferences. Simply take a muffin tin and put different dog-safe foods in each compartment — meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, rice, even store-bought kibble and treats. You can use cooked food, raw, or both.

Label each compartment with a small piece of masking tape, then set up a camera at dog level. Hit record, put down the tray, and invite your dog to start eating. By recording the test, you’re able to give your dog some space while they explore the muffin tin, then you can review the video to see which foods they ate first and, thus, determine their preferences. 

Why this test is helpful

“I didn’t come up with this idea,” Spencer says. “This [test] has been used for a long time, and it is something I discuss with colleagues and clients on an almost daily basis because it is such a valuable tool.” Still, the video she posted on the topic was novel enough that it racked up hundreds of thousands of views, becoming her young company’s best-performing piece of content by far.

Spencer founded Paw Forward Dog Training in 2022 after leaving her job in hospitality. “Every day in my previous job was very stressful and all I wanted to do was come home to my dogs,” she says. She started as a dog walker, then transitioned to dog training, taking courses at the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers and the Dog Training College, where she is currently enrolled in the dog trainer certification program. “My goal is just to help people with their dogs and show them that rewards-based dog training will always be the best and most effective way to help your dog.”

Determining your dog’s food preferences can be a game changer when it comes to training. “The food items that fall higher up on your dog’s list of favorites will likely be far more reinforcing to them and really help boost their behavior,” Spencer says. High-value items are also much more likely to get your dog’s attention in more chaotic environments like the park, where it may be difficult for them to focus. “If their options are to come to you in return for a piece of kibble or drag you towards that squirrel across the street, chasing the squirrel is almost always going to win out,” she adds. “But if it was in return for their favorite treat, you may have a chance.“

Even dogs that seem willing to eat anything have preferences. “I see a lot of Lab and Beagle owners in particular saying that their dog would work for kibble, but the more value a reward has, the stronger the behavior becomes,” Spencer says.

How to choose foods for the test

When choosing the specific foods for your dog’s test, Spencer suggests using a mix of higher- and lower-value foods. Higher-value foods are usually things like meat, fish, dog pâté, meat pastes, or cheese, but fruits can also be high-value items if your dog has a sweet tooth. Lower value items are usually vegetables, kibble, and store-bought dog treats. “Supermarket treats are often a popular choice by owners for rewards but they’re not usually that high value to dogs,” says Spencer.

Adding something into the test that you know they don’t like might seem like a good way of establishing a control in the experiment, but Spencer advises against it. Doing so could turn your dog off the activity altogether or even shake their trust in you. “This activity should be fun and rewarding for both you and your dog,” she says.

Just put a small amount of each food in the tray. You don’t need to give them a full smorgasbord. And if your dog seems to devour the entire tray indiscriminately, set out a second tray to test them again. Once they are not so hungry, their preferences will probably become more clear.

How to keep your dog interested in their fave foods

It’s also a good idea to retest every so often, especially if your dog is particularly food-motivated. “If you have been using the same high-value treats for your dog for a while, the value actually begins to drop,” Spencer says. “The reward isn’t so special anymore because it’s just normal.”

Even if your dog’s love for a certain food is everlasting, you don’t have to serve it to them every day. Save their number-one favorite for special occasions when you know your dog will really be boosted by it, like if you’re taking them somewhere new, and you know it is going to take a lot of focus for them to behave. 

Your dog will likely have multiple high-value items, and it’s OK to prioritize the ones for everyday use that are easier for you to prepare or more affordable. You can mix them with nutrient-rich and/or more budget-friendly lower-value items to make them more appealing. You can even use them to jazz up a prescription food your dog isn’t particularly keen on. Just check with your vet first. 

Whatever your dog’s preferences turn out to be, knowing is always better than not knowing. Feeding them the foods they love will improve their response to training, make mealtime more enjoyable, and deepen your relationship. And isn’t that worth the high price of steak?