Hand feeding your dog is the most important step in creating trust with your dog. Hand feeding meals and treats is not a bribe, it is a reinforcement of your love and security for your dog. Food is the most effective reward for dogs and they will learn to trust whoever is constantly providing food.
Ditch the dog bowl for meals and hand feed as much as possible. Feeding by hand is especially helpful if your dog gets bloated from eating too fast and requires a special bowl for slow eating. Slow the pace of the meal by hand feeding and avoid abdominal discomfort in your dog.
Hand feeding can help correct food possession with your dog. Some dogs may growl or be reactive to their owners while eating from their food bowl causing anxiety during meal times. The dog may guard the bowl from everyone instead of eating. Small portions in your hand or on a mat changes her perspective of food from a limited resource to a shared activity that you can both enjoy.
Put the portion of dog food in a plastic bag to carry with you and feed throughout the day and on walks until the bag is empty. Don’t hold food with your fingers. Hold the food between your thumb and tour palm to feed to avoid accidentally nibbling your fingers.
Your dog may not accept food from your hand or only from certain people that she trusts. If your dog is very timid then place portions on a mat or clean ground area and back away for him to eat. Repeat with slow, relaxed movements until your dog trusts to eat from your hand.
It may take several days or even a few weeks for a reactive dog to accept an entire meal from your hand, so you can return it to the bowl as needed. Wait for your dog to accept the food at her own pace. This daily activity will help in gaining trust with your dog and is the foundation for training activities such as agility or scent work.
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