Wooju, a wiener, is a beloved member of his small family. He lives in a beautiful home with his mom and dad and he gets everything he needs to live comfortably. The thing is, he has this weird habit before eating his meals.
Unlike most dogs, Wooju doesn’t get that excited when it comes to mealtimes. When his mom puts food in his bowl, he doesn’t mind. He even steps away from it no matter how hungry he is. He just doesn’t want to eat.
His parents thought he was such a picky eater so they decided to buy the more expensive type of dog food. They also gave him high-quality canned meat to make his meals more delectable. But no matter what they did, he still refused to eat.
Wooju’s mom and dad tried every trick they could think of to make him eat. Until, one day, they decided to play with him before mealtime. To their surprise, it worked. The dog ate his food after about half an hour of playtime.
The following day, Wooju’s parents did the same thing but he wasn’t as interested as he was the last time. But when they brought out a new toy, he became elated. He played, and only after that did he eat his food.
It has since become Wooju’s habit to play catch before eating. He waits for his mom or dad to come home and demands to play with any of them before he touches his food. He lingers for hours until one of them is around and able to play with him.
Tiring Wooju worked for a while but his parents soon became weary of their odd practice. They decided it was time to think of another way to get their dog to eat his food without having to bribe him with a new toy.
An animal behavior expert explained that in Wooju’s mind, playing was a prerequisite before he could eat. And so, his parents had to break that practice. They reconditioned his mindset and waited for hours until he learned that he didn’t have to do anything before eating.
Wooju’s mom and dad were so proud of how much he changed. And they were happy because a brand new toy no longer meant bribe. Rather, it became a gift to their cherished furbaby.
Credits to Kritter Klub