Why The Dog Should Be The Last One To Eat
Dinner time is an important family time for most families and let’s face it, our dogs are members of our families. It is important to know not only when is the proper time that a dog should eat, but why that is when they should eat. If at possible, a dog should eat after the family dines. Whether the family sits at a dining table or gathers around the television during dinner time, it is important that the dog not be fed from the dog owner’s plate, and also not be fed at the same time.
Dogs are naturally pack animals, even though they are tame they still have many of the same natural tendencies and instincts that their wild animal counterparts do. Wolves and coyotes travel in packs and there is a definite structure in terms of who is the pack leader and has the authority over the rest of the animals in the pack. When feeding in the wild, it is the pack leader who eats first while those animals lower in the structure feed later, and finally those at the bottom of the pecking order will feed last. When a dog is in a home, it is important that they know their place in the family structure. By feeding them last, it is clear to them where they rank and who in the family is of more importance.
By helping a do learn and realize that they are at the bottom of the home pack, it helps in a number of other areas too. It can help in obedience as they learn that all other members of the family rank above them and should be respected and listened to. It can help a dog learn it’s boundaries as far as eating off of people’s plates or jumping on people when they come indoors. It can also help a dog bond closer with it’s family and not feel that it is competition for affection or play time, this closer bond can benefit a family in that the dog will interact with the family members better and may also be more protective of the entire family, including the children.
