Building Confidence in Nervous Dogs: Tackling Food Bowl Anxiety

Hey there, it’s your trainer and coach, Uncle Duke from Unleashed Potential. Today, I want to address a common issue many dog owners face: dogs being nervous of different tings and sounds. We normally think about loud sounds like guns and fireworks, but some dogs are nervous of metal food bowls or water dishes. You might not notice it, but it’s a reality for many dogs. Ive seen thirsty dogs who refused fresh drink from a dog bucket that was metal.  The clinking noise of their collar hitting the bowl can cause hesitation and anxiety. If you have a dog who has weak nerves or is fearful then this video and post is FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG! This post will walk you through techniques to help your dog build confidence and become more courageous around their food bowl. This confidence will bleed out in other life things in a more positive way. Take what I teach and add it to different situations in life with your dog. Same principles apply on other areas and to other things. This is the food bowl confidence builder. 

 

Understanding the Anxiety

Dogs can develop nervousness around food bowls due to the noise they make when their collar or leash hits the dish and they have never learned to overcome it.  This is particularly true for dogs that are naturally timid or have had negative experiences in the past. WE the humans often feel bad for the dog and make things more comfortable for them by using a different bowl and avoiding the issue of the initial fear.  This is unproductive for for making the dog more courageous and resilient to life and more anxiety increases becasue the dogs never learn to take on a challenge and struggle then win to become stronger and tougher and more confident in life. 

 Instead, anxiety increases in different areas of life over time. This affects overall health, performance and wellness of the dog in a negative way. It is the same in humans.  There is a healthy way and an unhealthy way to look at things that effect our choices and outcomes in life. Often doig the hard things, taking on the challenge is what helps us grow and learn and become stronger mentally and physically. We won’t do it if we are not motivated and we wont be if others will do it for us. 😉  I cant say enough about having a good coach in your corner and as for the dogs, they  need us humans as their coach whos in their corner, just like we need coaches in our life to grow and succeed. This is why I became a certified professional dog trainer and high performance coach. 

  I feel there are ”to many” humans and dogs who end up on anti anxiety medication when it is not required.  Most often other things in combination work excellent to combat anxiety. To name a few examples for humans and dogs: Getting enough rest and exercise, proper nutrition, therapy or coaching, training and personal development for dogs and humans, breathwork and more hobby or play. By taking on challenges to learn to serve and grow and doing hard tings that is what is required fir growth and resilience to life and reduce anxiety.   

In the video, the goal is to counter condition or desensitize them to the noise and make the eating experience positive and stress-free.

Desensitization Techniques

One effective way to build your dog’s confidence is through gradual desensitization. Here’s how I approach this training:

1. Introduce the Noise Gradually: Start by dropping food into the bowl while your dog is near it. If they’re hesitant or jumpy, it’s okay. The idea is to get them used to the sound bit by bit.
2. Observe and Adjust: Pay close attention to your dog’s reactions. If they show signs of stress, like jumping or backing away, take note. The key is to proceed slowly and not push them past their comfort zone to much to fast. Let the dog try harder then you do. It is healthy to let the dog struggle to figure out how to gain its advantage. 
3. Positive Associations: Each time you drop food into the bowl,  the experience and sound means something positive. Over time, they will start to associate the clinking noise with something good—food!!!!  and the noise will be a desired sound when it was once a fear sound. Decreasing the anxiety. BUT the dog needs to want the reward bad enough to try hard. Letting the dog struggle so it can find its own advantages is POWERFUL!! 

Step-by-Step Process

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process:

1. Initial Introduction: Place some food in the bowl and let your dog approach it. If they hesitate simply wait and just be there with them.  If they jump at the noise, it’s a sign that they’re still nervous, but don’t worry—this is normal. This is a matter of time and patience. Just be! I call this waiting for the water to boil before we can get cooking potatoes and lobster. See that in a different youtube video. LOL! 
2. Increasing the Challenge in small steps:: As your dog becomes more comfortable, start making a bit more challenging with noises and places with the bowl. Make it a game of growth and it will become fun as long as you dont make it to hard.  For instance, you can tap the bowl lightly. Watch their reaction closely. If they remain calm, reward them with food. If at any point they seem too stressed, dial it back a bit. See the video for best example. 
3. Incorporating Other Noises: To further build confidence, you can introduce other noises and distractions. For example, use a stick or another object to create sounds near the food bowl. This helps your dog become more resilient to various noises. Place the bowl on different surfaces and be creative and make it fun. Challenge build up idea:  I set the bowl on a skate board and begin tapping on it as the dog eats.  If you can do this post the video in UPX community if you are a member and we can celebrate! Besure to tage me and you could win a prize! . If you are not in UPX training and coaching community then I invite you to join me in UPX today.  

Real-Life Application

During a training session, I noticed my dog was nervous about the noise of his food bowl. I began by dropping food into the bowl and observed his reaction. Initially, he startled at the noise, but with consistent practice “opening and closing the kitchen” and making positive reinforcement work, he became more comfortable. 

One exercise I used was tapping the bowl while he was eating. At first,I took it slow since he was a little anxious,, but over time, he learned to associate the noise with food and became less anxious, mentally stronger and more confident.  It’s similar to building muscle; you start with light weights and gradually increase the load as you get stronger. The same principle applies here—small steps lead to big improvements. 

Final Thoughts

Training and dog and helping them to overcome their fears and build confidence takes time and patience and they need you as that  coach. They cnt do it alone.  Just like us humans, when we want to grow and transform and succeed we also need a good coach.  Do you and your dog have a good coach?

  It’s essential to give yourself patience and grace for you and your dog to learn and grow. Life, relationships and growth is a process and a struggle for dogs and humans. Honour the struggle is something I say in UPX, you should join us if you have not already. 

  By using these techniques, you can help your dog become more courageous and relaxed around their food bowl and other noises.

Dont go at life alone with your dog, find a like minded tribe and community.  If you’re in to dog training, personal development, breathwork and outdoors and if you are  looking for more guidance and support or more challenges and growth for you and your dog then  join the Unleashed Potential Experience (UPX) community. In UPX, we offer live community group training and coaching sessions with me and my team. NePoPO® Dog Training and behaviour shaping, personalized coaching one to one live, recorded lives for viewing, supportive and inspiring community of extraordinary growth minded people  to help you achieve your dog training goals easier and faster knowing your not alone. For more information and to sign up for my free video series on dog training, visit unleashpotential.ca or dukeferguson.com.

Remember, building a confident, well-adjusted, better version of you and your dog is a process and a journey to honour. With patience and the right approach, you can help your dog overcome their anxieties and thrive.