Are you the pack leader?

When it comes to bringing a puppy home, they are looking for guidance on where they stand in their environment. Are they the pack leader, are they in the middle, or are they a follower? We are to give me that guidance.

Are you the pack leader?

If a dog is out in the wild, its pack leader will eat first, and then the others can feast on what is leftover. You must do the same to show your puppy that you are the pack leader. You start by having the puppy watch you eat. When the puppy is watching you eat first, they see that you are the leader. This is not a time to tease your puppy with food or torcher them. What you want to do is, at your very last bite, give them what's leftover or their bowl of dog food.

Please do not give them the food during your eating time. The puppy may think, "I am also the boss." If your puppy is whining and barking during your eating time, you ignore them. This will be hard at first, but they will get the point. The second you give them the attention, they will learn that winning or barking will get your attention-- even if it's negative attention. They start to train YOU.

Be in control

How do you show your pup that you are in control? By FOOD! When it comes to eating time, you place their bowl down and tell them to eat or whichever command you want to use. When they walk away or leave their food, you pick it up. That would be all they get, even if it were only one bite. You let them know that feeding time is feeding time. Do not worry about your puppy not eating for a day. They are not like us, humans. They will eat. When they are hungry, you also have an advantage. They will listen more and be more eager to do something for the food. They will soon learn that my leader feeds me and when he does, I will eat. Otherwise, I will not.

Another advantage of removing the food from "all day feeding" or "eating when you want" is that you have more control of training with treats and no overeating. Dogs begin to respect the food they get and enjoy it much more.

Do this practice every day, every time they eat. You will soon see how the puppy will respect you and eat on command.