Rewarding Your Dogs: Safety Tips For Giving Treats, Especially if You Have Multiple Dogs

You might have two, three or four dogs and love them all. Many owners find that having multiple canines living together can help them stay happy. Your dogs will always have a companion with them, and someone to play with or cuddle next to when you’re not home. On the other hand, having more than one dog can be a handful. Food can be a big issue between multiple dogs. Even canines that are otherwise friendly towards each other can bite, nip and growl when food is placed between them.

Quarantined Treat Giving

The safest, most guaranteed way to give two or more dogs treats is to quarantine them from each other before they receive the treat. Some people prefer kennels or crates while others might move the dogs into separate rooms. If you have obedience issues, this is probably your best choice. If there are any doubts Brand Levitra about whether your dogs will listen to you at all times, you are best to confine them and then offer the treat. The same method can be used for feeding time as well. This method also helps prevent nipping and biting of children who might wander close by when your dogs are eating.

The Alpha Stays Near

Avoid giving your dogs treats and leaving the room. If you have gone through obedience training, then your pets should view you as the alpha. What the alpha says goes in the dog world. In your presence, they are going to be on their best behavior. However, if you leave the room, structure goes with you and your dogs may squabble. It takes only one dog to pick a fight. Try to position yourself at the center, insight of each dog and physically blocking access to the other dogs. By placing yourself between them, you are discouraging any attempts to steal the other’s treats.

Future Treating Goals

Obedience training is very important; especially if you have multiple dogs. Make a point to work with each dog individually, going over the basic sit, stay, down commands. After they are comfortable, begin working in pairs. Once your canines can adjust to listening regardless of who is in the room, you can begin to safely treat without using your body as a wall or confining your pets.

Even once you have met your treating goals and can hand each dog a treat and walk away without concern, you should still avoid leaving them unsupervised with food. Stay within sight or nearby while your canines enjoy their treat.

It is important to note here that dogs by nature are competitive. Some have a stronger alpha drive than others. Those that do will constantly try to push the others to maintain his or her position. Even if you are the alpha, they want to be the beta. This is how life in a wolf pack works as well. As far as your dogs are concerned, you are all just one big pack. Learn your dogs’ individual personalities and you can quickly identify which pet is more likely to instigate a fight. By staying close by, you are maintaining order and keeping the ambitious beta in line. This is actually better for your pets and puts less stress on even those that are alpha-minded. They know you are there to maintain order and keep the pack inline, so they can sit back and enjoy their biscuit!

Author Bio: Article by Kimberly Case of Dog Treats To Go, check out our selection of Bacon Dog Treats and Peanut Butter Dog Treats Online!

Category: Pets
Keywords: Dog Treats, Dog Treat, Dog Bones, Pet Treats

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