# Eating first?



## Claire (May 21, 2012)

Just a quick one - is it important to feed a puppy after yourself? I've heard that it'll help reinforce her position in the pack, it's just, I use the very short time while she's eating in the mornings to go through and get my own breakfast... if I was to eat first she would bark/howl the house down, she's always so impatient for food in the mornings.


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## oliveJosh12 (Sep 10, 2012)

I dont know that answer to what is right but I feed Olive first so she has a full belly and then she is relaxed - I can then cook/eat with a bit more peace.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

You know what? I've tried the same but the end of the day it means nothing now. 
I feed her the same time every day and that's more important for us then her being fed after us. There's plenty other way to establish her place in the pack IMO. 
She needs the routine so she will be more calm. If you do the same thing the same way every day that will give you a good schedule you will both find useful. You will know when she needs to go out, when does she has to rest or when she can play. 
The one thing I suggest to not do is exercise her after feeding. She should rest for an hour after being fed. The risk of a bloat might be small but better be safe than sorry. If you haven't done it already use the search bar for bloat. 
Nothing to be worry about but it's good to know.


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## oliveJosh12 (Sep 10, 2012)

I second the routine - Olive is like a little clock she wakes up the exact same time every day, knows when breakfast, lunch and dinner is and knows her bedtime routine. I think a routine is very important to them - helps them to feel settled.


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## Claire (May 21, 2012)

Ok guys thanks, that's useful. It's kind of impractical to feed her after me most mornings, so that's good to know.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Claire, I agree with the others... The order in which she eats is not so important. She knows you are not a dog, and she is. She knows that you are the "food goddess" and control all of the resources. She already knows these things. The routine is the most important thing. They are very much creatures of habit.


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## Claire (May 21, 2012)

Great. Something else we're working on at that moment is her PATIENCE, when it comes to me serving her food... I'm giving her chicken and rice daily at the moment because her stomach's been upset and I'm going to very gradually introduce her to dry food again - but she just can't seem to wait those 3 or 4 minutes it takes for me to dish up her food. She whines persistently and sometimes it'll turn into frustrated (and very loud!) barking.
I've started just turning away from her and the bowl when she does this, and folding my arms, only resuming with preparing the food when she's quiet.. but sometimes this just seems to make her more frustrated. Any ideas?!


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Maybe prepare the food without her. Or do some exercise with it, while you preparing it make her sit and stay in one spot. If she does she can get a piece of chicken. It will not happen overnight that she will wait patiently but will come once you trained her what to do. 
When I did the same with Elza sometimes as soon as I turned my back to her she would stand up and come closer again. Trust me, each time I had to repeat the whole thing about 10-15 times. You just gotta do it again and again but only treat when she does what you ask for. There was a time when she had barely got any food from her bowl. I made her work for every single piece. Some from her kong, some during the walks and some at training times. 
The best thing I taught her was to leave the kitchen and sit in front of the door while I prepare her food. Eventually she understood the food will come quicker if she sits still otherwise I would have to keep stopping and send her out again and again. Now I can call her in and make her sit in the kitchen but right in front of the door and she will stay there. 

Also before you give her the food make her sit or down and wait. Hold the bowl in your hand and keep eye contact. Put the bowl down and carry on looking into her eye. Once you think she waited enough you can release her to eat her food. Don't let her jump around and bark at you or leap on her food when you put it down. She's got to learn calm means food, excited means no food. 
Of course this works for us, you might find it's not for you.


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## Claire (May 21, 2012)

Thanks adrino. I wonder if it's just her age, but although I DO get her to sit every time before I put the food down, if I don't put it down within a couple of seconds she'll start the barking again. She won't sit still, she'll sit for about a second, then maybe lie down, then sit back up again and bark... it's either a pretty bad lack of patience, or a massive love for chicken. Or both.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

> if I don't put it down within a couple of seconds she'll start the barking again


Now that's when you have to stick around. Do not put the bowl down until she can sit still, no matter how long. I'm not talking about minutes but at least 10-15 seconds. Doesn't matter if she barks, you cannot give in or she will learn if she barks she will get the food.

You cannot start the training too early so it is right now. Be patient and consistent and probably in a week you will see the improvement. Don't get frustrated! It's hard I know! Take a deep breath and start all over again if you think you're losing it.


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## Claire (May 21, 2012)

Noted, I'll be more strict with the waiting. This is what I THOUGHT, that you absolutely have to wait until she's calm, but I was making excuses for her because of her age. I do want to do the right thing so I'll try waiting longer. And the deep breaths, I'll definitely need to try those...


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I don't buy into the whole feed after you eat mentality. At the end of the day the dog is smart enough to know where the food came from........you


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