What is Existential Feeding?
Existential feeding is a method where you use your dog’s daily food allowance as a reward for training and good behaviour, instead of simply placing it in a bowl. This approach turns mealtime into an opportunity for learning and bonding, making your dog’s food work for you.
Why Choose Existential Feeding?
Enhanced Training Opportunities: By using food as a reward, you create multiple training opportunities throughout the day.
Strengthened Bond: Engaging with your dog during mealtime enhances your relationship and establishes you as the provider of all good things.
Better Behaviour: Dogs learn that good behaviour and following commands lead to food, which can reduce undesirable behaviours.
Mental Stimulation: Working for food provides mental stimulation and can help tire out energetic dogs.
How to Implement Existential Feeding
Measure Your Dog’s Daily Allowance: Determine the amount of food your dog needs each day. This will be the food you use for training and rewarding good behaviour.
Incorporate Training into Mealtime: Instead of giving all the food at once, use it throughout the day to reward behaviours you want to encourage.
Use Food for Training Sessions: Incorporate training sessions into your daily routine using the food allowance. Commands like “sit,” “down,” and “stay” can be practised with food rewards.
Reward Spontaneous Good Behaviour: If your dog exhibits good behaviour on their own, reward them with some of their daily food allowance.
Be Consistent: Consistency is key. Make sure everyone in the household understands and follows the existential feeding approach.
Practical Tips for Existential Feeding
Start Small: Begin with simple commands and gradually increase the complexity of the tasks.
Keep Sessions Short: Short, frequent training sessions (5-10 minutes) are more effective than long, infrequent ones.
Stay Positive: Use a happy, enthusiastic tone to keep your dog engaged and motivated.
Mix Up the Rewards: Occasionally, use playtime as a reward to keep your dog interested.
Addressing Common Concerns
What if My Dog Isn’t Motivated by Food?
Make mealtime exciting, run around in the garden or field, and reward energy and drive rather than positions. Your dog is your mirror, and if they are used to having low arousal around food, we have to be patient and empathetic with them. For details on how to create a food drive, see the video linked at the bottom of the page.
Make sure the training rewards are balanced and part of their daily nutritional needs. Do not use commercial treats; rather, use fully balanced dog food.
How Do I Ensure My Dog Gets Enough Nutrition?
Measure your dog’s food allowance accurately.
Make sure the training rewards are balanced and part of their daily nutritional needs.
Can Existential Feeding Help with Weight Management?
Yes, by using their daily food allowance, you can prevent overfeeding and help maintain a healthy weight.
The Benefits of Existential Feeding
Behavioural Improvement: Dogs quickly learn that good behaviour leads to rewards, encouraging them to repeat those behaviours.
Stronger Bond: Regular interaction during training enhances the bond between you and your dog. You and your dog will learn how to better communicate with each other, therefore being able to express to one another their individual needs. Remember, a dog is learning how to live with us, and it is our responsibility to communicate that with them clearly.
Enhanced Training: Using food as a reward throughout the day provides more opportunities for effective training.
Conclusion
Existential feeding is a powerful tool that transforms mealtime into a valuable training opportunity, strengthens the bond between you and your dog, and improves behaviour. By incorporating your dog’s daily food allowance into training, you create a positive and engaging environment that encourages learning and good behaviour. Start implementing existential feeding today and watch the benefits unfold for both you and your furry friend.
Happy Training!
Wicked Waggles Doggy Daycare

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