Breakfast is too exciting!!

[Marian]

Help!! How can I stop Harv squealing like a pig when I go in the kitchen to put his breakfast out in the morning?

I’ve tried sticking to a routine – didn’t work. I’ve tried changing the routine each morning so that he doesn’t know when breakfast is coming – didn’t work.

As soon as he is over the threshold into the kitchen he kicks off!!

I’ve tried walking out of the kitchen as soon as he starts squealing and only going back in to put out his breakfast when he is quiet (doesn’t seem to be working).

Help!! All suggestions very gratefully received.

 

[Joules]

Coco used to get really excited at food time so I made her sit and stay while I prepared it and put it down.  Now she sits calmly (for her!) until I tell her it is OK to eat it.  You just have to stick at it - he will get the hang of it eventually 

[Cob-Web]

Yup - I agree with Joules, I have only ever put food bowls down for quiet, sitting dogs - and they have to wait until I release them from the sit to start eating too 

At first, you might have to get a second pair of hands to help - put him on a lead, and get someone else to keep him in a sit while you prepare the food - put the bowl down in its usual place, and then give the command to eat at the same time as the lead is released

[jann]

Marian, am I right in thinking that it's only the actual vocals from Harv you are talking about and not the fact that he won't sit and wait?   

[Cob-Web]

Marian, am I right in thinking that it's only the actual vocals from Harv you are talking about and not the fact that he won't sit and wait?   

If so, you are more than half way there; just wait until he is quiet before you put his bowl down - so the immediate reward for quiet is dinner 

You might have to keep some bowls of food pre-prepared at first, so there isn't a delay for the reward while you prepare it when you first begin to train him - but it won't take long for him to learn that quiet means dinner, and he'll soon keep quiet while you prepare it in the hope he gets it quicker 

[*Jay*]

I have the same problem with Dallas - he starts off by throwing himself at walls etc  and, when I can actually get him to sit still, he will whinge constantly. Its taken a long time but we are making a teeny bit of progress - for a dog so food motivated,, you would think he would cotton on quicker that he only gets the food when he's quiet but hes not very blessed in the brain department 

[Marian]

Hi guys

Thank you for all your ideas.

I think I've sorted the problem!!

Solution:
I now tell him to go to his bed - and within eye shot I prepare his breakfast. I put his breakfast on the floor - again in eye shot - and then give him the command to come and eat. It works a dream and has turned my Harv back into a little  who doesn't squeal the place down at 6am!

[Joules]

Fantastic, well done!  Much nicer not having a cocker squealing at that time in the morning! 

[kate.s]

Well done! 

Since Sam has started on BARF he has become very excited about his food. I have to try and sneak into the kitchen to take his food out of the freezer and wash his bowl as now as soon as I go near his bowl or the freezer, he is there waiting.

It has helped with training though because I have him sit and wait for his food. His face is really funny while he is waiting, he sort of looks away from his bowl as if he knows he wouldn't be able to control himself if looking at it. 

Each day I'm getting him to wait a little longer.....we were already doing sit and wait for treats but with his food it's a little different, poor little thing looks like he has such a battle with himself to wait