Strange Eating Behavior

[Inuneko]

Yes, my bitch isn't in heat anymore thank every divine power up there:hail:

My poor male has been let back inside after his month-long eviction, which I felt bad about because it's been getting much hotter.

Anyway, Greedy (mom named him that, you get two guesses why lol) and Sissy insist on eating out the same bowl. I allow this because they share, etc etc. Plus if I put two bowls down, they'll eat out the same bowl anyway so it doesn't make sense to fix them each a seperate bowl.

Alright... Greedy has been showing signs of not wanting to eat again. He'll let Sissy eat first and then stare at the food bowl really hard, to which I reply, "Go eat your food, dummy." And he just stares at me then back at the bowl.

I've had to resort to an old trick I had to use when he was only a few months old. I have to go to the bowl, stick my hand in it and swish the food around for about a minute and act like I'm eating and go "mmm yummy" then walk away. After that he'll go to the food bowl and eat.

Should I worry about this? How do I fix that behavior?

I'm afraid that if I have to go away for a long time and can't take the dogs with me, that he won't eat while I'm gone and the dog-sitter may get worried and fear he's ill.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

I really feel that your dogs should be eating out of their own bowls. Perhaps switching the food would gain his interest again- some dogs when fed the same food for a long period of time become bored with it. Good luck.

 

[Doberluv]

I agree. I don't see how you can make sure they're each getting the proper amount of nutrition. I'd separate them into different rooms or use a crate and give them each their own food. Give them 15-20 minutes to eat and if it's not gone, pick up the bowl and save it for later. Don't fuss over your dog if he doesn't eat. It will just make matters more complicated. If he's hungry, he'll eat if it's reasonably palatable food.

 

[Inuneko]

Yeah, I am about to change their kibble anyway.

I'm just worried because he's 11months today, I know he's still growing, but he's aquired an awkward 'hourglass figure'. You can't see his ribs, he's starting to widen out, his chest is getting more pronounced. But you can see where his waist dips in like he's skinny, but he's still high energy.

I do mix veggies and chicken with their food sometimes, but not all the time because I don't want them to get so used to the taste of human food they don't want to eat their kibble.

Though I'm fairly sure the problem is from my stepdad giving them table scraps when he eats, which is another problem I need to solve. When he eats, the dogs get in his face and bug him. I mean, they jump all in his lap and stick their noses in his plate, he'll give them food to make them go away while he's still eating. I keep telling him to ignore the dogs and nudge them away when they do it, but he doesn't listen. Apparently he, someone who thinks animals are expendable, knows a lot more than me... someone who's raised 3 generations of dogs.

But that's a big contrast from when I eat. I can sit on the sofa next to them and they won't bother me. I can leave my plate/bowl unattended for a minute or so to refill my glass and they won't touch it. They won't take food out of my plate, they'll wait for me to give it to them.

So it seems the only thing wrong with the equasion there is my stepdad, but it's not like I have the money to move out and factor out the common denominator to see if the problem is people giving them table scraps.

 

[Romy]

If you have crates I would crate them while he is eating, or put them outside or in a different room. Don't give them the opportunity to be pests at dinner if he is going to reinforce their bad behavior.

 

[Inuneko]

*nod nod* That I'll certainly have to do, or force mr. high and mighty stepdad to eat at the table.

But now the questions remain, is it that he's tired of the dogfood? Or is it that he only wants to eat table scraps? Why has he reverted to waiting for me to pretend to eat the dogfood and say something positive about it before he'll eat it?

 

[Buddy'sParents]

He could very well just be tired of the food.. it's been known to happen. Switch it up and see what happens.