Feeding time

[SuperCockerMax]

Hi guys,

First post on here and thanks for your posts, a lot have helped us out with Our 10 week old cocker puppy (Max).

Max starts barking and jumping up on our legs when we’re preparing his food, everytime, without fail. It is quite frustrating and we have calmly told him “quiet” and “off” but also use “sit”. He already knows these commands and will do them for a second or two but then when you make the next movement towards his food or bowl, he starts again. My partner walks away from the food station in the hope that Max realises his behaviour wont get him anyway.

Does anybody else have any thoughts or tricks that worked for you?

Thank you!
Sophie, Damian and Max

[bizzylizzy]

Hi and welcome! Your partner‘s doing the best thing, every bit of attention is rewarding Max’s behaviour so I would stop what you’re doing immediately and  ignore him, don‘t say anything and don‘t even look at him. Wait until he‘s quiet, ask him to sit while you put the bowl down and don‘t allow him to eat until you give him the ok, - if he goes to eat before you‘ve put the bowl down, lift it up and make him sit again. It shouldn‘t take long before he realizes the only way he‘ll get his food is by sitting quietly. One of the main things to remember when dealing with unwanted behaviour is to ignore it while praising and rewarding the behaviour you do want, so barking is ignored, sitting quietly is rewarded. 

[SuperCockerMax]

Thank you Jayne!

We keep at it. He’s going great with everything else. It’s a great pup

[cazza]

Hi I have a 10 week old pup too

Agree with Jayne, our pup sits and watches us do her food when I lift the bowl off the scales she’s gone  she runs into her crate and sits waiting for me to deliver it 

The breeder had them all sitting while the food was prepared so we didn’t have the jumping up, we have trained her to go to her crate by feeding her in there every time

Look forward to hearing how you get on with Max 

[Mudmagnets]

Max sounds lovely, welcome aboard.

Mine aren't pups (nearly 7 and 8 years) but I can tell you that consistency is the clue here, I did much the same as your husband in the early years when they were pups, I used to make myself a cup of tea and if they started going silly, barking, jumping etc., I would leave their food mid prep and sit down with my tea., a few times of this and they soon learnt food (or anything else) does not come as a result of playing up. They quite happily go to their waiting places for a mixer biscuit  )

[SuperCockerMax]

Thanks everyone!! I must say he’s getting better and more patient every day. We’ll definitely try to be consistent with everything we do. There is also a massive difference in his first feed and his last feed of the day. Little one being full of beans in the morning doesn’t really help the patience 😂