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Originally Posted by gemy  Just now have the time to respond. Earlier on, I highly recommended that EVERY piece of food she receives is earned. What obviously I did not make clear was that includes her breakfast and dinner.
I would put her food bowl in my lap - and ask her to sit, then stand, then sit, then stand, then stand stay, sit stay, etc, every command obeyed with alacrity is rewarded. You can walk with her food bowl in you right hand, and say Follow Me, if she follows she gets a Treat from her Food bowl.
This is the beginning of NILF particularly with a dog with food aggression issues.
YOU Own all the FOOD in your HOME. Nothing comes for free in your house.
If the Alpha dog in a pack decides to horn in on the lower pack members they back away from that food. That is what your dog should do, or at least obey the command to LEAVe IT or SIT STAY. |
This truly IS how you begin NILIF. You don't let the dog just eat - you might read some of the websites that post "how-to" directions on every happy step of NILIF. Believe me - your dog will just love it. The really get into learning to perform for their needs and learn they like feeling good about themselves, how to communicate well and react to us and the "feel-good" rewards this gives them. They get very proud of themselves when you ask them to work to get their needs met - just like in nature - they must work to get what they need. It awakens something pretty neat in them.