Breakfast!

Mealtime is a big deal in my house- especially breakfast.  Breakfast is when all the good stuff gets added to the base kibble.  The dogs, both mine and any staying with me, know this and really look forward to breakfast.  I used to be the dog mom who proudly said, “Oh, Peyton just eats what she wants, she never overeats!”  I did not understand then that I just had that rare unicorn of an awesome dog who accepted that I was the boss and did as I asked.  She’s the one who made me think I knew how to train dogs.  Ha! My silly mid-90’s self was such a fool.

Once Pony came into my life and I had to learn how to actually train a dog I came to understand the importance of mealtime.  It was actually during a visit to the Wolf Sanctuary in Lititz, PA that gave me my greatest a-ha moment. 

Side Note, if you’ve never been there, go!  It’s an incredible experience.  I went for a full moon tour.  Loved it!  https://wolfsanctuarypa.org/

In a wolf pack, when there is a fresh kill, the alpha wolf eats first.  He eats until he’s satiated and then the Beta eats and then so on and so forth.  What this means is that the wolf who gets to eat what he wants, when he wants, is in charge.  While I’m aware that dogs are not wolves, they are descendants and still follow the same social structure. 

But what does this have to do with your domesticated, household pet?   Whomever controls the food source is the alpha.  It’s just that simple.  If your dog gets to eat what he wants, when he wants then he is the alpha.  I control the food.  I feed them twice a day.  I am the alpha.   I don’t do so because I have some twisted control freak streak.  No, I do it because that is what they understand. 

If you really want to communicate with your dog you must learn to speak to them in the language they already know.  The language most easily understood by dogs is dog.  They can learn to understand English but they will never be fluent.  I make them understand that I am their alpha by employing the simplest method available and it makes it that much easier to train them.  When clients send their dogs to stay with me they fall into the same pattern. 

Often when I send a dog back home their parents are blown away by the change and progress they’ve made in only a short time.  When I explain the mealtime rules it’s not always met with enthusiasm.  It does take a bit more effort to establish and maintain mealtime instead of just allowing your dog to free eat.  Trust me, it’s worth it.  I also set the bar a tad higher by adding fresh food to my dog’s bowls but, again, it’s worth it.

At breakfast they get about a 1/3 cup of broccoli, carrots and cheese, 1/8 cup of dried cranberries, a fish oil pill, a little bit of wet food- just enough to mix it all together- and a hard-boiled egg.  They love it!  As soon as they see me getting the components out to put it together then run to their places.  Apollo, who has been with me for 8 days, has also begun to do the same.  The conditioning happens very quickly!  Breakfast is served and eaten very quickly.  I know immediately if someone is not feeling well if they turn their nose up at breakfast.  Dinner is not so exciting- just plain kibble and maybe a little leftover meat if I have it.  But it’s the same routine, they go to their place to be called because I control the food source. 

As for what you should put in your bowl please consult your veterinarian.  I’d be lost without Dana Walck of Harrisburg Area Animal Hospital.  At Villa Mia we are going to continue with what works and keep those pups healthy and happy.

Love and Belly Rubs, Zia