For some it's second nature, for others opening a Doggo Treat Tube is like a puzzle. Everyone knows, though, that popping them open and shut becomes addicting. Here's a quick video demo, plus the technique in writing for anyone who learns better that way. My favorite part of the video is Lupin at the end, acting like the treat dropped on the floor and not in his mouth!
The two-hand open
Hold the tube in one hand, wrap your other thumb under the lip of the cap, and lever it up. It pops. That's the whole move. New tubes are stiffer on the first few opens and loosen up with use, on purpose: a cap that pops off too easily in your pocket defeats the point.
The one-hand open
Once the cap has broken in, you can do it all with the tube hand: grip the tube in your fist, slide your thumb up under the cap's lip, and pop it with one motion. This is the one worth practicing, because in a real training moment your other hand is usually holding a leash, a toy, or a kid. Pop, tip a Disc out, cap it, all one-handed, without your dog ever leaving position.
Closing it
Press the cap back on until it clicks. That click is the seal, and it's also the sound your dog will learn. After enough sessions, the pop of the cap becomes its own cue: dogs hear it and drop into ready mode before you've said a word.
Why a tube at all?
The tube is the answer to every treat-carrying failure we've had: bags that don't close, ziplocks that shred, pouches that get left on the counter, and pockets full of crumbs. A tube rides in any pocket, dispenses one treat at a time instead of spilling ten, and protects Doggo Discs from getting crushed. Empty tubes also get a second life: refill them from a bulk bag, or use one to carry fresh, messy rewards like meat or cheese on training days. (Curious how many treats a session actually takes? We did that math.)
If the cap fights you
- Brand new tube: the first few pops take the most force. Open and close it a handful of times and it finds its groove.
- Cold weather: plastic stiffens in the cold. Warm the cap in your hand for a few seconds and it pops normally.
- Still stuck: use the two-hand open and lever from one edge of the lip rather than pulling the whole cap straight up.
Once you have the pop down, the tube stops being packaging and starts being part of the training kit. Stash one in your jacket, one in the car, one by the leash, and the treat is wherever the moment is.