# Morning routine - Walk or eat first?



## Bolkar (Mar 9, 2014)

Most puppy training articles advise feeding a puppy, then taking him outside. But my 3.5-month old refuses the bowl until we go outside in the morning, and now he's starting to do the same in the evening too. He pretends like food doesn't interest him at all, and 15 minutes later he eats that bowl up like he's never seen kibble before.

What are people's opinions on this?


----------



## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

Walk then food. You dont want to exercise a dog on a full stomach plus if you want to do any training on your walk it's usually easier if they're hungry so they are more willing to work.


----------



## Kayla_Nicole (Dec 19, 2012)

You should take your puppy outside as soon as he wakes up. Definitely walk first and then food


----------



## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

Our routine depends on the day, sometimes Toby won't touch his food until he's been walked. Other times, he eats and then we go.


----------



## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Hmmm I realized I do have input on this. When we are in town, we do this, quick potty, then I make her breakfast and she eats it while I shower, drink coffee then we do a half hour walk ... nothing strenous.... just a walk for her to get out and sniff everything like crazy....

She usually eats a little bit of it or half, then during the day when I am at work she will finish it-- I come home hour 4 to give her another potty break... I have pretty long work days....


----------



## PatriciafromCO (Oct 7, 2012)

The stomach is a muscle and walking helps digestion, think about it what gets everything moving for the animals in crisis,, if a dog is suspected to be in pre bloat crisis you keep them walking, same with a horse who might be col-icing you keep them walking .. Get things moving for them.. You don't run them  but moving after a meal is beneficial not to worry about them. We always eat last in the morning after going around feeding and watering all the other animals so we do our walk outside time first before breakfast.


----------



## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

we go- long walk, meal, potty walk
But that is just what works for Manna, individual dogs may vary.


----------



## doggiepop (Feb 27, 2014)

i wake up and the dog goes out. he's fed. i wait 1&1/2 to 2 hours
before any form of exercise or play.


----------



## d_ray (Nov 5, 2013)

We always walk and then feed. Especially in the morning since she's been holding if for 8-9 hours. I read somewhere that dogs like to "work" for their food. For some reason this stuck with me whether it's true or not.


----------



## SDRRanger (May 2, 2013)

Ranger goes in the small fenced yard for potty then comes in for his dinner. Comes back to bed with me for an hourish and then we go out for our real walk.


----------



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

When my dog was little, he always went outside before eating. After sleeping all night he really had to go, so we took him out right away (at first we even carried him out, because he was little and slow moving and could easily have an accident on the way). After breakfast he went out again.

Now that he's an adult he eats before going out.

So definitely walk first and then food for a puppy. As an adult do whatever works for you and the dog.


----------



## d_ray (Nov 5, 2013)

SDRRanger said:


> Ranger goes in the small fenced yard for potty then comes in for his dinner. Comes back to bed with me for an hourish and then we go out for our real walk.


This on weekend when I want to sleep in


----------



## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

With Freyja on the weekdays hubby takes her to potty before he leaves for work (usually he takes her out at 6AM). Then I take her out again at 8AM when I get up with the kids (I homeschool them, yep I'm crazy). She snags a bit of food while I get all of us dressed and then we head out the door for a walk. I do a little training with her while the boys jog, stretch and run sprints (this is their PE time barring rain). Then we finish up with a walk around the bike trail. It is about a mile round trip. When we get back she has another potty break (really she just wants water usually) we finish our PE time and then everyone has breakfast. The older dogs also prefer to go out before they eat with the exception of Duke, he eats first and then goes out to potty and get a drink before napping most of the day. I take Remus for a training walk midday and hubby takes him for a jog at night. Duke gets a walk with my son in the evening or might go skating with me in the evening if he is up for it. Blue hates walks.


----------



## Jen2010 (Feb 12, 2013)

Gally said:


> Walk then food. You dont want to exercise a dog on a full stomach plus if you want to do any training on your walk it's usually easier if they're hungry so they are more willing to work.


Yep, This.


----------



## Kyle071785 (Nov 28, 2013)

for Jax in the morning its always been:
-potty break/sniff around in the yard for a few minutes
-breakfast for him (as I grab a juice)
-walk

i think most dogs will just sort of develop their own routine that works for them. No point in forcing something specific on them. If your dog enjoys the walk then the food, do that...or vice versa


----------



## samshine (Mar 11, 2011)

I've always done this: quick potty trip outside first thing, then breakfast and humans get ready for work, then a longer walk to make sure the bowels get emptied.


----------



## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

For the past 13 years, I've fed Shep twice a day, after walking him for about 30 minutes first. A few times, I feed him first, if the weather is bad.


----------

