Eating is one of the most primal activities for dogs. They love 
it, and they have respect for whoever gives them food (the leader 
in the pack). You can use your "power" of being pack leader to 
enhance your dog training efforts – every day.

The following suggestions will help you establish your role as 
pack leader and reinforce dog obedience, deferment to your 
leadership, dog training techniques, and overall attitude and 
disposition (yours and your dogs).


1. CONSISTENCY

A good habit to have in feeding your dog is consistency.  Dogs 
love routine and food is a very important subject to them.

For example, feed your dog at approximately the same time(s) each 
day (some modification is fine for weekly schedule changes.) If 
feeding two times a day, pick two windows of time that you can be 
consistent with, for example, between 7:00 and 8:00 am and then 
again between 5:00 and 6:00 pm. 

Having a window of time helps prevent anxiety in a dog expecting 
to be fed at a specific time each day (5:15 pm – yes, dogs can 
zero in on a specific time of day like 5:15).

This is a very real concern for dogs and some dogs can fall apart 
emotionally and physically if they are expecting food at that 
time and don't get it.  Ever hear of the dog that is panting and 
spastic and throwing up or having diarrhea?  This dog is anxious. 
Setting a window of time and sticking to it will help your dog 
remain calm.  Practice the same routine every day. 


2. NO RUNNING BUFFET

A big mistake is to offer up the running buffet, where food is 
available around the clock.  This is actually a pretty common 
feeding program in many homes because it's simple for the humans 
– add food as needed. 

So why not do this?  Because it leads to an obese, lazy dog who 
doesn't listen to your commands, respect your leadership position 
or adhere to rules you've set forth in your dog training.


3. MEALTIME IS DOG TRAINING TIME

Wonderful things happen at mealtime – for you and Fido. You get 
the opportunity to have your dog perform (reinforcing all that 
dog training you've done) for his meal.  This could be sit, down, 
come, place. 

So what, you say?  Well, this is the easiest way you have of 
getting your dog's affirmation of you being the leader and 
reinforcing dog training.  If you aren't the leader, guess who 
is.  It will be the demanding, obnoxious dog bossing you around 
for a meal. 

What exactly does it look like? Hold the food bowl in your hand. 
Your dog may be spastic, jumping, yipping, and pawing at you for 
the food. This is another dog training opportunity for you – 
teaching him to be calmer at mealtimes.

State your command once and wait (good to start with a sit, which 
is usually the easiest). Your dog sits and the bowl of food goes 
to the floor with praise for a good sit and a release "OK" that 
they can move to get the food.

When your dog complies with your command, he has just deferred to 
your leadership in the pack.  (When beginning this program, you 
may need to help your dog with completing his command and praise 
warmly and then give food.) 

Once your dog has the program down, you can introduce other 
feeders such as spouse, responsible children, etc to gently let 
your four-footed family member know her position in the pack. 


CONCLUSION

By changing your dog's feeding routine, you change so much more. 
You get to reinforce all the dog training and dog obedience 
you've worked so hard on – and it feels effortless. You get 
increased respect from your dog for providing the important 
commodity of food and for being a consistent provider.  The more 
you establish yourself as leader of the pack, the more your dog 
will want to please you and dog training will be a snap.
 

O'Neal Hendrix is a premier professional dog trainer in 
Atlanta, GA. For many years, she has "worked miracles" 
with dogs and their owners. See what works for her. 
Check out her website -- Trainer's Pick Dog Supplies, 
http://www.dog-supplies-dog-accessories.com/ .