Feeding time is likely your puppy’s favorite part of the day. It may also be your favorite because there’s nothing like seeing a puppy getting excited over anything.
While it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the moment, you must look at feeding time as a learning opportunity for your puppy. More specifically, you should consider it an opportunity to establish good leadership and feeding habits with your pet dog.
In this article, we’ll highlight some training tips that can instill the right feeding habits in your pup. Implement them yourself or with the help of a trainer, and marvel at how they improve your pet’s behavior.
Prevent Your Puppy from Overeating by Creating A Good Feeding Habit
One of the easiest mistakes to make as a puppy owner involves giving your pet too much food. People often make this mistake without knowing it. It can happen when your puppy hangs around their food bowl too long. Puppies can also pick up any bits of food that fall on the floor.
You must put an end to your puppy’s overeating. How should you go about doing that?
To start, you should keep your dog inside their crate during feeding time. Keeping your pup in the crate while they’re feeding ensures they won’t be able to snag any scraps. They’ll also learn to stay in one place while eating, which should help you maintain a clean household.
Another tip that prevents overeating involves limiting the time your puppy’s food bowl is on the floor.
Your puppy may eat more than they need to if their food bowl remains within reach all day. Stop that from happening by taking their food bowl when they’re done eating.
Don’t Give in to Your Puppy Pleading for Food
A puppy’s adorable face is irresistible. When they direct their big eyes and cute smile at you, it’s hard not to cave and give up whatever they want. Resisting is especially difficult if they’re asking for your food.
You may think that giving your puppy some of your food is harmless, but that’s not the case. Puppies can quickly put on weight that way. On top of that, some of the foods we eat can be harmful to dogs. It would be best to avoid sharing them.
There is no secret training tip that will teach your puppy to stop begging for food. You must simply resist your dog’s pleas whenever they approach you during dinner or lunchtime.
Pet owners can also breathe a sigh of relief because declining your puppy’s pleas will not impact your relationship. According to the American Kennel Club, begging is an evolutionary trick dogs developed to get extra food. They will love you regardless of how you respond to their begging.
Whether or not your pet dog will have a good attitude towards feeding time depends mainly on how you manage that aspect of their care while they are still a puppy. Following the tips here should help your puppy develop the proper feeding habits.
How to establish good feeding habits with your puppy? Send your question through our contact page for our dog trainer Cathy to answer.
Recent Comments