Waiting for food

Does your dog sit and wait for their dinner at mealtime? If so - awesome work! 👏

As someone who gets very hangry, I’m always impressed at how patient dogs can be when it comes to food. And because food is usually such a top motivator, we can use feeding time as one of the best built-in training opportunities for good manners.

Teaching your dog to pause before eating builds more than just a polite dinner routine. It helps with:

• Impulse control - learning to wait calmly instead of rushing in.

• Focus - teaching your dog to look to you for guidance.

• Consistency - building a daily ritual that reinforces training skills.
  
  

These little moments add up and carry over into other areas of your dog’s behaviour, like walking calmly on leash or greeting guests politely.

From years of observing dogs (and the humans who feed them), here are some ways to make the most of mealtime training:

• Add a release word. Make sure your dog doesn’t go for the food until they hear your release cue (like “okay!” or “free”).

• Look at you, not the bowl. Set the rule that your dog must make eye contact with you before being released to eat. This builds focus on you, rather than fixating on the food.

• Layer in extra skills. Once your dog has mastered waiting, ask for a couple of simple commands (like sit, down, or paw) before releasing them. This is a great way to practice obedience daily.

Don’t worry - waiting for food is actually one of the simpler things to teach. With clear rules, consistency, and patience, most dogs learn very quickly. It’s not about starving your dog or being harsh, it’s about building calm routines.

Mealtime is training time. Use it well, and you’ll be amazed at the difference in your dog’s overall manners.

👉 Grab my free ebook Why Does My Dog Do That? to understand the “why” behind your dog’s behaviour.

👉 Watch my Free Reactivity Video Workshop if your dog struggles with big emotions like barking, lunging, or overexcitement around triggers.

👉 Explore the Dog Matters Academy for step-by-step courses to improve any behaviour you’re struggling with - from everyday manners to bigger behaviour issues.