Good eating habits should be established early if you want to avoid major problems in the future. We are regularly asked for advice by dog owners who find that their dog becomes aggressive if they approach it while it is eating.

This behavior is quite a normal instinct in some dogs— they are only behaving the way they would in the wild, where protecting one’s food is vital for survival. However, the same behavior is unacceptable in human society, and we have to teach this to our dogs.

The best way to help your pup learn the acceptable behavior right from the beginning is to show it that you have no desire to steal its food. You can do this by conditioning. Every time you feed your pup, make it sit as soon as you approach with the food. It may be necessary to put a lead on your pup at such times. Then place the food on the ground, and wait about 30 seconds. If the pup tries to move toward the food, say “Bad” or “Bah” in a growling voice, stepping on the lead at the same time. This will prevent the pup from getting to the food before you want it to. If the pup sits, this is good, but it is not important exactly what it does at this early stage—as long as it does not rush at the food.

Praise your pup as soon as it responds correctly. Always release the pressure on the lead as soon as it stops rushing toward the food.

Use the word “sit” as a command for the dog to adopt that position, and “stay” to let it know you want it to stay put. Once you are happy that your pup has the idea and is waiting for permission to move, say “Free,” and encourage it to go and eat. Praise it, saying “Good dog” as it does.

Another method you can use is to lift the food off the ground with your right hand as soon as the pup moves toward it and growl, using your reprimand word; again, step on the lead to prevent any forward progress by the pup. Then put the food back on the ground. What you are teaching the pup here is that, every time you bring it food, there are certain manners it has to display. This is really not unlike the way you would teach a child to behave at the dinner table!

Be sure to follow the same ritual every time you feed your pup, and reinforce the correct behavior.

Consistency is vital when you are at dog training. It will assure the dog that you are a good leader, and will meet its need for an ordered life.

An excellent sense of hearing

Note that dogs have excellent hearing, and can hear you quite well if you whisper. However, when you are teaching your dog an exercise for the first time, you will need to raise your voice in order to gain its attention. Once the dog is more focused on you, you can then use a lower growl tone to reprimand it, and it will still respond.

Using the correct words

We feel it is important to point out here that the words we suggest as commands—”Sit,” “Stay,” “Come,” “Free,” and so on—are chosen because they are words that are not used very regularly in normal, everyday conversation. The story of Clyde and Clara illustrates how important it is to choose carefully the words you use when training your dog, and then use them consistently.

Related posts:

1. How to Train Your Pet Dog to Stay
2. How to House Train Your Pet Dog
3. Dog Training – The early basics of Dog Training – preparing for Independence
4. Dog Training – Teaching the “sit” the easy way
5. Dog Training – Using a Collar and Lead