A MORE MEANINGFUL MEALTIME

Feeding isn’t just about what you feed your dog; it’s also about how you feed your best friend.

When we provide food to our dogs, whether it is a treat or a meal, it’s an important act that deserves more respect from our dogs and ourselves. Too often we rush through the process; we scoop food into the bowl, and then get trampled by our dogs as we set the bowl in place. For our dogs it’s a race; for us it’s a chore. You’re going to feed your dog more than 700 times this year alone. Why not slow it down just a bit and create a calmer, more meaningful, and more enjoyable routine?

SETTING THE TABLE AT FLOOR LEVEL

Before you put anything in the bowl, there are a few things you might want to consider when selecting and maintaining the dishes you use to feed your best friend and setting up his food station.

 

• Water and food bowls should be stainless steel or lead-free ceramic. American ceramics are mostly free of lead, but foreign-made ceramics may contain high levels of lead, which may leach into water. Avoid plastics and aluminum because they also may leach chemicals, and glass bowls, which may break more easily than ceramic dishes.
• Inspect dishes often for chips or cracks and replace as necessary. If a dish suddenly breaks while your dog is eating, it’s doubtful your dog would pause.
• Consider a raised feeding station that doesn’t require your dog’s head to dip below shoulder level when eating. This is especially helpful with senior pets.
• A bowl licked clean is not a clean bowl. Provide a clean bowl at each meal to eliminate the opportunity for bacteria to build up. Sometimes dogs who are sick or have diarrhea just need to have their bowl cleaned more consistently. We’ve started using cereal and pasta bowls because they fit easily into our dishwasher. You can get a nice set to use in rotation at thrift stores or garage sales.

RINGING THE DINNER BELL

Creating a more meaningful mealtime starts with the way you give your best friend his food. You’ll find information on specific problem mealtime behaviors later in this chapter, but first a few tips for increasing both your pet’s and your own enjoyment of mealtime:

 

• When it’s time for a meal, call your dog into the feeding area and tell your dog to sit and stay.
• While your dog remains in place, dish out the proper serving, keeping one eye on your pet.
• If you’re serving a homemade meal, which may have congealed upon cooling, warm it up just a bit or add warm water. Meals served at just a few degrees above room temperature will release a little aroma that adds to the experience for your dog. Adding water will also help with digestion and absorption of the nutrients.
• While your dog still remains in place, slowly set the bowl down. If your dog suddenly makes a lunge for the bowl, stand back up with the bowl in your hand. Every time your dog moves in a forward motion without permission, you should move in reverse to your original standing position. Move slower and slower in your successive attempts to put the bowl on the ground while your dog remains in place. Please don’t be frustrated if it takes a few attempts. If this is a new behavior, your dog may not understand why there is a sudden shift in the routine.
• If at any time your dog moves or attempts to follow you, freeze in place. If your dog does not move back to the starting position without prompting, set the dog bowl on a countertop, lead your dog back to the starting place, and start all over.
• When the bowl finally makes it to the floor, stand in place and take a deep breath. Relax. Then calmly give the word for your dog to go eat. At our house we say, “Mangia!” as a special phrase reserved for mealtime.

 

Developing a new mealtime routine takes practice, but your dog can learn to wait patiently if you have the patience to follow through with the routine. It can take a few weeks, but you are not developing a new routine for just tonight or even next week. When you take the time to create a more rewarding routine, you’re developing a stronger bond with your dog for the 7,000-plus meals over your dog’s lifetime.

Free feeding dry food is not recommended. Your dog will not starve while you’re at work all day, and you can always leave a stuffed Kong as a snack. Fresh foods should not be left out for any longer than 30 minutes to prevent the buildup of bacteria.

Water

With two-thirds of your dog’s weight composed of water, this is one of the most important components of your dog’s diet. Water aids in digestion and the absorption of nutrients and is essential for helping your pet maintain body temperature.

 

• As a general rule, provide at least 2½ times as much water per day as the amount of food your dog eats. Especially in hot weather, it’s important that your dog has access to an abundance of fresh, clean water.
• When preparing a meal, pick up and clean both water and food bowls and provide fresh water. Consider pouring unused water on houseplants or on the garden to conserve resources.
• Tap water should be run for a minute before filling the bowl to clear the buildup of minerals or toxins in the pipes.
• If you use bottled water for yourself or in your own cooking, consider giving your best friend the same. If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, your best friend might not either.
• If your dog’s water consumption changes dramatically by either increasing or decreasing, consult your vet.
• Fresh food contains a lot of moisture, so that will help meet part of your dog’s requirement, but still make sure to have more than enough water available.
• If you feed mostly dry food, consider adding 1 part water to every 2 parts dry food to help meet your dog’s requirement for water.
• Dogs who spend a great deal of times outdoors in summer or winter will need additional water.
• When you take your dog hiking or camping, bring additional water for your dog to drink. Do not let your dog drink from standing water or water with algae growing in it. If possible, try to prevent your dog from drinking from streams, as the water may contain dangerous bacteria or protozoa. (In September 2009, four dogs died in separate incidents when they drank from Elk Creek in Oregon.)

PROBLEM MEALTIME BEHAVIORS

It’s unfortunate that the table manners of our canine companions have not evolved as much as our relationships with them have. When we cannot predict a dog’s behavior around food, it can become worrisome, or it can become annoying when it’s as predictable as a 5 a.m. alarm. Modifying problem behaviors will require consistency, trust, and in many cases a new set of rules. In most cases, a few weeks of repeating a pattern will clue your dog into the new paradigm and be well worth the effort since the results will be repeated for thousands more meals.

However, good luck on getting your dog to chew with his mouth closed.

Begging

A common misconception is that feeding your dog anything but commercial dog food or treats will encourage your dog to beg. Food doesn’t encourage your dog to beg—the routines you set with your dog do. If you feed your dog at the table, your dog will learn to hang out around the table waiting for his share. If you feed your dog in the kitchen, your dog will learn the kitchen is a great place to score some extra vittles. There’s no question about it: Dogs like to eat and will repeat behaviors that have enabled them to acquire food.

Teach your dog to wait outside of the dining room with the following routine.

 

• When you sit down with your dinner, bring a treat to the table for the dog. (Don’t advertise that you have the treat.)
• After setting your meal on the table, lead the dog outside of the room and tell your dog to sit and stay.
• Provide one small treat, repeat the stay command, and enjoy your meal.
• Firmly say “No” if your dog begins to move, and if necessary lead your dog back to the exact position again, but this time without a treat.
• When you are done with your meal, walk over to your dog, treat in hand. Do not call your dog over to you, as this reinforces that treats are fed in the dining room.
• Praise your dog repeatedly with “Good dog, good stay.”
• Hand over the treat and praise again.
• Release your dog from the stay position. We use, “Okay, go!”
• If your dog immediately goes to the dining room, firmly say “No,” and lead your dog away.

 

The deal is that your dog has to stay in place until you have fed the treat and released the dog from the stay position—otherwise no payoff. It takes a while to learn, but remember that your dog will repeat behaviors that have worked in the past. With repetition, your dog can learn this improved behavior.

Counter Surfing/Breaking and Entering

When I adopted Jackson, he had already learned to open a cupboard by himself, so he threw his own garbage parties, which entertains the dog but frustrates the cleanup crew. We later started keeping a lock on the garbage cupboard, but if we ever left it open Jackson remembered how to get what he wanted.

Jackson had stolen steaks, bread, crackers, and cheese off of the countertop when left unattended for even just a few moments. His counter surfing was one of the most difficult behaviors I’ve had to stop. I tried double-sided tape on the countertops, and for some dogs tape sticking to their paws is enough to scare them away for life, but not Jackson. He tore off the tape and ran through the house with it, then tore the tape into little tiny bits.

One day Jackson stole a blueberry pie and was hopped up on sugar for the entire evening. He was spinning in circles, barking and running up and down the hallway trying to relieve his sugar high. Frustrated, I knew I had to put a stop to his raids once and for all, so I asked myself, “What am I doing wrong that allows this to happen?” Up until that point, it was always about Jackson’s behavior and blaming him, but then it occurred to me that it’s my responsibility to keep the counters clear and prevent Jackson from getting his paws on my pie. Since then I’ve turned the car around numerous times when I thought something might be left on the counter. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Here are a few more tips to discourage counter raids:

 

• If you’re sharing (approved) scraps from your meal preparation, put them in your dog’s bowl or feed in a room outside of the kitchen. Avoid feeding your dog directly as you prepare food on the counter.
• If your dog is underfoot while you are preparing food, it’s dangerous to both of you. I’ve almost tripped over a dog more than once while carrying a hot pan. Tell your dog “Out of the kitchen” anytime that food is out or meals are being prepared.
• Keep counters clear at all times, even if you are just going out to light the barbecue; it’s an opportunity for steaks to be stolen. If your dog performs a regular check of the countertops, prevent possible injuries by clearing the counters of glass or other breakables.
• Unless you discover a robbery in progress, you can’t really punish your dog, because your dog will likely not connect his original action and your reaction. However, you can be upset, just not at the dog. It’s okay to say, “Where’s my pie?” in a stern voice while pointing at the empty pie pan. Just don’t direct your anger at your dog. As strange as it may seem, vent your frustration on the pie pan. Your dog may sulk and act guilty, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the dog is personally taking responsibility; he just doesn’t want to be associated with a “bad” pie pan.
• If you have concerns about the foods or quantity consumed, or if your pet begins to act lethargic, has excessive diarrhea or constipation, or begins to vomit, seek help immediately. You can contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA’s poison control center at (888) 426-4435.

Early Morning Wake-Up Calls

There’s nothing worse than trying to sleep and having your dog wake you up for breakfast. It’s understandable when a dog wakes you up to go to the bathroom, but when it’s simply because you’re the chef and she’s ready to place her order, the system is broken. Here are a few things to try:

 

• Feed your dog regular meals twice a day to prevent the extremes of hunger and fullness.
• Ensure your dog is getting enough exercise by adding an additional walk in the evening before bed.
• Don’t feed your dog the first thing after you get up. Sometimes feed your dog before your shower, sometimes after. Get up, get the paper, make some coffee, and leave the kitchen for a few minutes. Then eventually, casually even, ask your dog to follow you back to the kitchen with a simple, “Come.”
• Don’t make a big deal out of breakfast time by asking your dog, “Are you ready for breakfast?” or “Are you hungry?” You probably already know the answer, so there’s no reason to get her excited.
• Make your dog sit patiently while you are preparing her meal. If she moves, freeze! Don’t continue until your dog is sitting and waiting calmly. Drooling, however, is reluctantly acceptable.
• If it’s really bad and your dog isn’t learning, step up the methodology. Fill an empty soda can with some pennies and put it by your bed. When your dog sounds the wake-up call, shake the can loudly, say “No,” and try to go back to sleep.
• Under no circumstances should you immediately get up and feed your dog.
• Lead your dog from the room if necessary or let her out to relieve herself. Put as much time between when you get up and when you feed your dog as possible. Go back to bed and wait it out for at least 20 minutes, or better yet, try to fall asleep.
• If the pennies don’t work, try a whistle.
• If the whistle doesn’t work, try banging on a pot with a spoon.

 

Your dog may not get it overnight, but you’re awake anyway, so you might as well invest in some training so you can sleep in next week.

Aggression/Food Guarding

It’s pretty scary to have a dog turn on you, especially when it’s your own. Instinctively, your dog wants to enjoy a meal without the fear of it being taken away, so it’s important to establish trust. This regimen will slowly acclimatize your dog to sharing space with you and his food bowl:

 

• Dish your dog’s food into the bowl, but then find a comfortable place to sit, with the bowl in your lap.
• Call your dog and tell your dog to sit facing you.
• When your dog is sitting calmly, scoop about one-eighth of the food into the palm of your hand.
• Allow your dog to eat the first handful. When the first scoop is gone, pause for about five seconds before scooping some more and repeating the feeding process until the meal is gone. Count out the five seconds in your head, not aloud. Five seconds is a long enough interval to teach patience without being so long that it will create anxiety.
• When the meal is finished, raise your hands with your palms facing your dog and say, “All gone.” Then set the bowl down and let your dog inspect it so that he can ensure it really is all gone.
• In the second week, measure out your dog’s food in a separate bowl and slowly fill portions into a food bowl on the floor between you.
• When your dog is responding well, return the empty food bowl to its regular place. Your dog should always sit and stay while you are preparing food and not approach the bowl until you give your permission. Drop in a portion at a time while you are standing nearby.
• On an ongoing basis, drop in extra (approved) tidbits or a bit of the reserved meal portion. This is also something that should be done with puppies from the very beginning to prevent food guarding later.

 

Establishing trust takes time, so be patient with this process. Although it takes a few extra minutes now, you’re establishing a bond that will last for the life of your dog. Yes, it’s a messy process, but that’s why there’s soap.

Under no circumstances should you place yourself in danger. If your dog growls or you fear that your dog may bite, contact a qualified trainer.

Speed Eating

Few dogs eat at a leisurely pace, but there are those that eat so fast they are literally gulping their food down. When dogs eat too quickly, they run the risk of choking or bloat because of the large amount of air that is ingested with the food. Bloat, also known as torsion, causes gas to be trapped in the dog’s stomach when too much gas accumulates. This can be life-threatening, and when it happens once, it’s more likely to happen again, with each repetition becoming more serious. Deep-chested dogs are particularly prone to bloat. Contact your veterinarian if your dog is a speed eater and begins to show any of the common signs of bloat: retching without vomiting successfully, excessive drooling, a firm abdomen, uncharacteristic discomfort in a standing or lying position, or sudden weakness.

Some dogs can be taught to eat more slowly; some have to be monitored at every meal. Try the same feeding program as suggested with aggressive eaters. If that doesn’t work, it’s time to go to extremes with one of these methods:

 

• Heat your dog’s food to a temperature a little lower than that at which you would serve your own food.
• Freeze your dog’s food and set your dog out in the yard to slowly eat the food while it thaws. The food doesn’t necessarily have to be frozen all the way through, but it should be cold.
• Stuff the dog’s food in a Kong or other puzzle toy, so that he has to work to get the food out.
• Feed your dog’s meal in a Bundt cake pan, especially the type with lots of nooks and crannies.
• Spread your dog’s food out onto a rimmed baking sheet.
• Invest in a food bowl specifically designed to slow down eating.
• Feed smaller meals more frequently.
• Put a clean rubber ball or two in your dog’s dish so that he has to work around the ball to get the food. The balls should be large enough that your dog doesn’t swallow them. Large, smooth stones work well too.

 

If you notice that a method is not working, finish the meal by hand feeding and then try a new method at the next mealtime.

Wait for an hour after mealtime before taking your speed eater for a walk or any extended activity.

Reluctant Eaters

It’s not unusual for a dog to occasionally skip a meal, and for most a meal or two skipped per week is not a cause for alarm. If your dog refuses to eat for more than a day, you should first consult your veterinarian. Various diseases or dental problems could be causing your dog to prefer hunger over discomfort.

If everything checks out with the veterinarian, the next place to look is the food you are feeding. Although commercial foods are sold as “dog food,” dogs really aren’t interested that much in them if they contain less-desirable ingredients. Your dog’s sense of smell is at least 100,000 times more acute than your own. If there are chemicals that smell iffy to your dog or your dog doesn’t smell anything enticing, your dog may just pass it by. If your dog is holding out for something “better,” then maybe you should provide something better. Who’s to say that we make all the right decisions based on colorful packaging and promises made by pet food manufacturers?

It might be time to try a new food. See here for guidelines on choosing a dry food. The quality of food can mean a big difference in your dog’s health, so be prepared to spend a little more. As you introduce a new food, do it slowly.

If you’re concerned about your pet eating, you probably also want your dog to enjoy mealtime as well. If your dog is crying out for something more interesting, bring some interest to the bowl with foods that are good additions to your pet’s diet: some water, an egg, homemade stock, a spoonful of yogurt or pumpkin. Try spreading an irresistible cheese taste over your dog’s food with a few swipes of Parmesan over a Microplane grater.

A few other hints might make mealtime more appealing:

 

• Ensure that your dog is not eating something elsewhere. Is the garbage can lid closed? Is the cat box mysteriously clean? Take extra precautions in these areas if necessary.
• Look at your dog’s bowl and its location. Is your dog’s bowl too deep, or too large? Does her collar make noise when it hits the bowl? Is your dog eating in a part of the house that feels comfortable? Something as simple as changing the bowl size, slipping off the dog collar before feeding, or ensuring your dog is not looking into a corner and is standing on a non-slippery surface can greatly ease your pet’s fears around eating.
• Feed your dog twice a day, at the same hours each day. Senior dogs may want to eat less at each meal, so three meals a day could be helpful.
• Ensure that your pet is getting enough exercise; work up an appetite with a quick walk before each meal.