How to train an overly food motivated dog?
Emory Runte
2025-07-19 07:22:26
Count answers
: 12
To train an overly food-motivated dog, you should try to disrupt the habit of her following you into the kitchen and waiting for food. She doesn't get to follow you when you prepare her meal, instead, she has to be in a different room, preferably 2 doors away to muffle sounds, and the door must be shut so she cannot see you. She only gets to enter the room when her meal is ready and she can start eating immediately. You can even feed her from a different food bowl, such as a dinner plate or soup bowl, for the duration of the training and later switch back to her regular bowl if necessary. She eats in a different room than the kitchen, and if possible, change the acoustic cues by putting her food into a different storage container. Feed her 2 - 4 times a day instead of only once to reduce hunger during the day and make feeding feel more reliable, and always feed her at the same time every day to make feeding more predictable. Never approach her or stand too close to her while she's eating, as that might feel like you want to steal her food. She'll need a few days to learn the new routine and the new triggers, and that gives you the opportunity to start desensitization training at the same time.
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