A dog should be fed by the same person at every feeding if possible. This is not nearly as important when several house pets are being fed by different members of the same family as it is when a large number of dogs are being fed by many different kennel personnel.

It is especially applicable when dogs are in a strange environment like a boarding kennel, veterinary hospital or show arena. Some dogs that have grown used to one person feeding them may display all sorts of erratic eating behavior if that person is suddenly changed.

Every dog should have its very own food and water container. Not only is this based on sound behavioral psychology it also is just a good hygienic practice. It is a good idea to assign specific food bowls on an individual dog basis when your feeding containers are significantly different from one another.

Besides improved feeding technique, certain practical benefits can be gained from following this practice. In dog racing stables, for example, where maintenance of body weight is so important, specific feeding instructions can be written on the bottom or the side of each dog’s feeding container next to their name or number.

Dog should be fed in the same place every time. Whether it’s the corner of the kitchen, next to the back-door steps, at the back of a kennel run or along the left-side wall of their cage, the site where the food container is placed should remain the same every day.

In fact, everything that’s done with the food container should be identical at each feeding. If you use a push cart or wagon to carry the tub of food to the dogs, always use the same cart and tub. lf you pre-fill the food bowls in the diet kitchen and carry them on the cart, don’t decide one day to carry the tub of food on the cart and fill each bowl as you reach the dog.

It may have become boring to you, but to your dog it has become a way of life for them. A change only serves to disrupt this and can create insecurity.

No dog should ever have its food changed without a good reason. Contrary to popular opinion, dogs do not need a change in food from time to time to keep them from growing tired of eating the same food all the time.

Many dogs have lived normal, healthy lives by eating the same food throughout their entire lifetimes. In many instances where a dog owner thinks a dog has gotten sick and tired of a food, the dog has just gotten sick from the food. Not so sick, perhaps, that it really showed, but sick enough to stop eating.

When a dog food is deficient, it is not uncommon for a dog eating that food to lose their appetite. Of course, nutritional deficiencies are not the only thing that will cause a dog to lose its appetite.

Next we discuss how to pick the right dog supplies…