Actually some dog trainers recommend you touch all your dog's food, because this gives the dog your scent, and the dog learns he gets food from you. I think some dogs think if they are getting food from their "mother" it's safe to eat. I actually give Joey quite a bit of his food by hand because we do training with his food. I couldn't use "treats" anymore because he was getting chunky. You could use the food to teach some basic training if you like. You can also start to give a piece of food and "accidentally" drop one on the floor, or a paper plate. When she eats the food praise her and say "yes." Continue giving food, and accidentally dropping other pieces, until she's more comfortable with the plate. I also throw an object and have Joey return it to me for a piece of food, so he gets a little exercise while he's eating. Some people free feed, and this means having food available at all times, and many breeders recommend this at least till 6-8 months because dogs go through growth spurts, and some days require more food than others. |