Is your dog right or left-handed or neither? 

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.