Half of America’s dogs come running just from the sound of a treat bag. Wait – only half? According to a recent poll of 2,000 dog owners, 47 percent say that their dog reacts instinctively to the noise made when a treat container is opened. Survey results show that the average dog knows an average of five spoken commands. That said, 20 percent of the vocabulary dogs understand is treat-based, owners say. Fifty-two percent are likely to run over when they hear words like “treat” or “cookie.” Conversely, only 37 percent consistently respond to the sound of their own name. Conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by CLIF PET, the results further confirm that 67 percent of dogs are “very food motivated.” Four in 10 respondents give their dogs treats as a way to reward them, making it the most popular reason among those polled. Three in four even believe they wouldn’t have been able to teach their dog any commands without using treats. Roughly 21 percent of respondents give treats to their dog at least once a day, while 18 percent admit to handing out multiple treats in a day.
Just 37% of dogs always respond to their name — compared to 52% that jump up for the word ‘treat’
