Fun Feeder Friday for Fido

Do you think your dog may be too lazy or knuckleheaded to enjoy ditching the mealtime bowl and working or playing for his food? Your dog is probably smarter than you think! I used to joke about one of our beloved golden retrievers, Jesse. He appeared to be quite stubborn and hesitant to learn new things. I was pretty sure he would never be into training or doing anything that wasn’t his idea first. Then, one day I started experimenting with training techniques (not methods – always use positive reinforcement). I learned that he was actually so smart, he had just tricked me into believing he was dense!

Honestly, it took me about two years to fully catch on to his intelligence. Once I figured it out though, we had a blast diving into canine freestyle (that’s doggy dancing) and training together. Our relationship grew. Amazingly, he WANTED to pay more attention to me, and I enjoyed my bouncy boy so much more than before. He became an excellent dance partner, fabulous loose leash walker and super smile maker.

Next time it’s mealtime for your pooch, fill your pockets with kibble and start training. It doesn’t matter what breed or age of dog you have. You can practice basic manners, learn new tricks, or simply toss the dog food for your pup to catch or chase. Training for mealtimes, or using pup’s daily kibble portion to reward desired behavior, is a way to enrich you and your pup’s life together.