Using food correctly helps create polite, well-mannered dogs. Some tips:
• “Marker training” is a powerful training tool. A “marker” is a one-word bridge between a behavior and a reward. For example, ask for a sit, and the moment the dog’s rear end touches the floor, mark “yes,” then give a treat.
• Feed a quality dog food.
• Feed the right amount of food. Overweight dogs have increased risks of arthritis, kidney disease, bladder/urinary tract disease, liver disease, diabetes, low thyroid hormone production, heart failure, high blood pressure, and cancer. A healthy weight is a) when you can feel ribs; and b) when you can see an hourglass-waist looking down at your dog from above.
• In homes with more than one dog, monitor mealtimes to ensure that each dog is eating only their own food. If necessary, feed them in separate rooms (or in their crates)
Using food incorrectly can create problems such as food stealing, demands for attention, resource guarding, fights between dogs in the home, weight problems and nutritional deficiencies in your dog. It also creates setbacks in reward-based training. Remember:
• NO “free" food treats – your dog should perform a simple obedience command (like sit, down, stay, come or drop-it) to earn a treat.
• NO sharing your own food with the dog - like tossing food under table while eating, or letting the dog finish your slice of pizza.
• NO dog food dispensers or bowls of dog food left out all day. Instead, feedings should be at scheduled times of the day, left down no longer than 15 minutes.
• NO table scraps should be fed to the dog - like scraping food off your plate into your dog's food bowl, or allowing your dog to lick the plates as they are loaded into the dish washer.
In our home, there is one exception to the "no human food" rule. We will occasionally take leftover chicken, turkey or beef, cut it into tiny pieces, and put it in the fridge to use the next day as "high value" training treats.
