Help teaching a young pup feeding manners

[jrhill4]

I just recently purchased a lab pup who is just over 7 weeks old. He seems like a really god pup, with only one real aggravating behavior right now: poor feeding behavior. When I have a food or water dish, he gets so excited and starts whining and yelping and jumping up and down. I don't want him to be reinforced for this behavior by getting food afterward, but I also know he needs to eat. Is this behavior one that he will grow out of as he matures or is there something that I can do to eliminate that behavior. Thus far, I try to make him wait a few seconds without any noise making while I block him from being able to jump up. Any ideas would be very much appreciated!

[Cajun Casey]

Give him a small biscuit as a reward for being still a moment and put his food down while he is occupied with the biscuit. Gradually lengthen the time he has to wait for the biscuit.

[4dabirds]

You are on the right track. Do not give the dog its food when it is exhibiting unwanted behavior. Do not waste its food as a training resource by giving it all at once. Along the same idea as cajun casey make the dog sit for its food , no sit no food. Just give it the food a small amount at a time after it sits. Ignore the unwanted behavior and reward the wanted behavior. The wanted behavior will become the one the dog is likely to repeat.

[Brittguy]

I hope this works I have the same problem.

[4dabirds]

for a pointing dog it should whoa for its food. Whoa should be the command the dog knows best. This will help you avoid having a dog that sits when commanded to whoa. read previous post.

[jrhill4]

Thank you all for your recommendations. They seem very useful. I will try them and keep you all posted on the progress!

[ezzy333]

We are talking about a seven week old puppy who should be at home with it's littermates and mother yet. I sure wouldn't be at all concerned about the pup wanting food and being excited about it. I might be concerned if it wasn't. Let the puppy be excited about you bringing food. It will change very quickly if you do absolutely nothing except feed a little more or oftener if you want so it isn't quite as hungry. It really is more excited about you than the food in reality. You are now the siblings and mom that it has just lost. I think your decision is do you want to worry about a pup being excited to see you and to eat, or one that sees you coming and thinks here he comes to make me sit. I'll take the first option everytime and we can fix and control it very easily in a month or two when it is getting big enough to start some positive training. Puppies need to be puppies for at least a few weeks of it's life. There will be years for you to train what you want when it becomes a problem.

Ezzy

[Sharon]

Well said, Dogs don't have a lot to get excited about. Food and birds is about it.

[Cajun Casey]

About the tenth time the little demon knocks the water all over you or flings the food, you get to wondering if there is a market for used puppies.

Another thing you might try is removing the pup from the feeding area and carrying him in to the filled bowl. When he is bigger, you can lead him in. That will doubly reinforce that you are in charge of the situation. It also removes the visual stimulus of the bowl being set down.

[snips]

Of course he will grow out of it, he is still a baby. He is basically still nursing age. Just be patient.

[ezzy333]

About the tenth time the little demon knocks the water all over you or flings the food, you get to wondering if there is a market for used puppies.

Another thing you might try is removing the pup from the feeding area and carrying him in to the filled bowl. When he is bigger, you can lead him in. That will doubly reinforce that you are in charge of the situation. It also removes the visual stimulus of the bowl being set down.

When a seven week old puppy knocks the water all over you or gets a little food on you and you begin to think about getting rid of it I sure hope you all find someone that has a little common sense and understanding of a baby to take it and give it a decent home. Are you all so caught up in having the perfect animal that does everything foreign to a healthy puppy just to keep your shoes from getting damp that you are going to advise a new owner to start training. All that puppy needs right now is love. And if you do a good job of doing that then maybe in a few weeks we will still be able to guide it in the direction we would like it to progress in the next few years. I am continually amazed at how many people feel they need to try and outsmart a healthy exuberant puppy of seven weeks as though they will be unable to keep up with it when it is 9 or 10 weeks old. Maybe they know something I have missed.

Ezzy

[birddogger]

About the tenth time the little demon knocks the water all over you or flings the food, you get to wondering if there is a market for used puppies.

Another thing you might try is removing the pup from the feeding area and carrying him in to the filled bowl. When he is bigger, you can lead him in. That will doubly reinforce that you are in charge of the situation. It also removes the visual stimulus of the bowl being set down.

When a seven week old puppy knocks the water all over you or gets a little food on you and you begin to think about getting rid of it I sure hope you all find someone that has a little common sense and understanding of a baby to take it and give it a decent home. Are you all so caught up in having the perfect animal that does everything foreign to a healthy puppy just to keep your shoes from getting damp that you are going to advise a new owner to start training. All that puppy needs right now is love. And if you do a good job of doing that then maybe in a few weeks we will still be able to guide it in the direction we would like it to progress in the next few years. I am continually amazed at how many people feel they need to try and outsmart a healthy exuberant puppy of seven weeks as though they will be unable to keep up with it when it is 9 or 10 weeks old. Maybe they know something I have missed.

Ezzy

My thoughts exactly!

Charlie