Cravings?
By iKE ALLEN, Happy Healthy Dog Co-Founder
We’ve all seen that one owner at the park. Every time their dog barks, jumps, or even looks a little bored, they reach into their pocket and shove a treat in the dog’s mouth. They think they are being “loving,” but they are actually creating a “Treat-Hole.”
The result? A dog that is physically overweight but emotionally starving. They’ve learned that the only way to feel “good” is through an external hit of sugar or protein. They stop looking to the owner for guidance and start looking at the owner’s pockets. If the treats aren’t there, the relationship disappears.
The Dog Education: Moving to “Life Rewards”
In dog training, we learn the importance of Life Rewards. A life reward is anything that satisfies the dog’s soul without being a “snack.” It’s a belly rub, a “Good job!”, a game of tug, or the permission to go sniff a favorite bush. We want the dog to find satisfaction in the activity and the connection, not just the calorie. This builds a dog that is motivated by joy rather than just appetite.
The ReThink Pivot: The Human Dopamine Hit
Humans are world champions at the “Treat-Hole” trap. When we feel stressed, lonely, or just a little “off,” we reach for an external treat. For some, it’s a bag of chips; for others, it’s an impulsive Amazon purchase, a glass of wine, or a mindless hour of scrolling through social media.
We are trying to “treat” a bad mood, but just like the dog at the park, we’re only feeding the craving, not the soul. We end up in a cycle where we need more and more “hits” just to feel normal, while our actual internal well-being stays empty.
I’ve had to catch myself in this loop many times… over many years! I realized that when I was “treating” my stress with distractions, I wasn’t actually solving the stress—I was just numbing the signal. I was ignoring the “Life Rewards” of quiet reflection because I was too busy looking for the next “hit.”
In fact, it was observing these very patterns—the way we accidentally train our dogs and ourselves to chase the wrong rewards—that led me to the idea for this website. I realized that if we could understand the “why” behind our dogs’ behaviors, it could help us understand the “why” behind our own.
That spark is what led Ande and me to create Happy Healthy Dog. We wanted to build a resource that didn’t just give you “tips and tricks,” but offered a way to build a deeper, more soulful connection with your pup and yourself. This site is our “Life Reward” to you.
Using the ReThink Method allows us to realize the most important “Good job!” is the one that comes from inside. When you stop trying to “fill the hole” with external treats, you discover that you already have everything you need to feel whole. You become a “self-rewarding” pup who finds more satisfaction in a deep breath or a meaningful conversation than in a temporary distraction.
The [ReThink] Tool: Identifying Your “Life Rewards”
The next time you feel that “itch” to grab an external treat to fix a bad mood, try this:
- Check the Hunger: Ask yourself: “Is this a physical need, or am I trying to ‘treat’ a feeling?” __________________________________________________________________________
- Find a Life Reward: Instead of the “sugar hit,” choose a soul-filler. Take a three-minute walk without your phone, listen to one song you love, or give someone a genuine compliment.
- The Internal “Yum”: Notice how you feel after the Life Reward. Is the “hole” still there? Usually, you’ll find that a small dose of genuine connection satisfies you far longer than a handful of treats. Give yourself a “Good job!” for feeding the right thing.
The Bottom Line
You can’t fix an internal empty feeling with external snacks.
Your “Treat-Hole” isn’t a sign that you’re lacking; it’s a sign that you’re looking in the wrong pockets. Focus on putting down the distraction, look inward, and start rewarding yourself with the things that actually make your tail wag. It’s not always easy for any of us, but you’re worth more than a “hit” of dopamine—you’re worth a life full of genuine joy.
