Feeding dogs with different appetities..

Gloomtastic!

Our Boxer has always been a picky eater. I can count on one hand the number of times in the last three years when he's finished his bowl in one sitting. He normally picks throughout the night/day but we're lucky if he's finished everything before the next bowl is put out.

When we have other dogs staying, some of them are always on the hunt for food and will eat everything left within reach. Needless to say, they gobble up any food left for our Boxer.

We've tried locking them in separate rooms come mealtime but inevitably the greedy dogs get to his food before he's finished.

Is there any way around this? Is it a case of letting him learn the hard way that if he doesn't eat it all in one go, it will be gone or is there any tips I could use to get round this problem.

ladyjuicy08

I have this excate same problem with my cats one eats everything in sight the other likes to pick at his food.its a nightmare as when I leave for work at 7am I just havta pick up fussy eaters food as can't leave it down all day.when I go away it's worse trying find someone with the patience wait for him to eat.

justtaletuknow

i can suggest two option which hopefully will help you as much as it helped me:
1. keep dogs in seperate rooms/1in1 out of the house

option 1: put ur dogs bowl infront of you add a small amout of nuggets in the bowl each time he eats the small handful you put in give him praise and add another small handful into the bowl do this with both your dogs and it will stop the gobbeling with the greedy dog and hopefully the lack of eating with the other

option 2: leave the bowl filled to the brim with food then when she/he walks away tell him/her that they need to go back to the bowl to eat pulling buy the collar may need ta be done if he she refuses to eat it then put the bowl in a high place...... wait till its time for the dog to be fed again and fill it to the brim again then give the dog the food if he doesnt eat it do it again and he should get the pic if he doesnt eat he goes without dont give him the choice

kylith

justtaletuknow wrote: »

i can suggest two option which hopefully will help you as much as it helped me:
1. keep dogs in seperate rooms/1in1 out of the house

option 1: put ur dogs bowl infront of you add a small amout of nuggets in the bowl each time he eats the small handful you put in give him praise and add another small handful into the bowl do this with both your dogs and it will stop the gobbeling with the greedy dog and hopefully the lack of eating with the other

option 2: leave the bowl filled to the brim with food then when she/he walks away tell him/her that they need to go back to the bowl to eat pulling buy the collar may need ta be done if he she refuses to eat it then put the bowl in a high place...... wait till its time for the dog to be fed again and fill it to the brim again then give the dog the food if he doesnt eat it do it again and he should get the pic if he doesnt eat he goes without dont give him the choice

I wouldn't be pulling the dog back by their collar. That's not the way to get a dog to do anything, and it won't understand why you're doing that anyway.

OP, the best I can suggest is that when your boxer walks away from his bowl put the food away and don't give him anything until the next scheduled meal time. He'll soon learn that if he doesn't eat when it's put down he'll have to go hungry.

One of mine decided to be picky once, it only took her watching my other dog eat her dinner once to cure her of it.

My brother's dog is super picky (their own fault because if he doesn't eat his kibble they cook him sausages and chicken. I keep telling them to give me the dog for a week and I'll cure him). Anyway, he was staying with me and, unbeknownst to me, my brother put down his full bowl in the kitchen (about 300g kibble, cooked lamb heart, sausages). Tegan disappeared off for a while then came back in to the living room, crawled to bed, and fell straight asleep. She'd eaten every crumb that my brother had left down. She must have had some stomach ache after that.

justtaletuknow

kylith wrote: »

I wouldn't be pulling the dog back by their collar. That's not the way to get a dog to do anything, and it won't understand why you're doing that anyway.

OP, the best I can suggest is that when your boxer walks away from his bowl put the food away and don't give him anything until the next scheduled meal time. He'll soon learn that if he doesn't eat when it's put down he'll have to go hungry.

One of mine decided to be picky once, it only took her watching my other dog eat her dinner once to cure her of it.

My brother's dog is super picky (their own fault because if he doesn't eat his kibble they cook him sausages and chicken. I keep telling them to give me the dog for a week and I'll cure him). Anyway, he was staying with me and, unbeknownst to me, my brother put down his full bowl in the kitchen (about 300g kibble, cooked lamb heart, sausages). Tegan disappeared off for a while then came back in to the living room, crawled to bed, and fell straight asleep. She'd eaten every crumb that my brother had left down. She must have had some stomach ache after that.

i have worked with animals for over 4 years and iv had the same problem with my dog in no way am i saying to drag the dog buy the collar just bring him over show him the food and happy days should learn his lesson iv given this advice to multiple people and its never failed

Whispered

In my opinion, removing the food and letting him make the connection himself that if it's not eaten it dissappears, is usually enough. Except in the case of very young animals, sick animals or maybe certain breeds.

justtaletuknow Do you work in animal nutrition? I know you don't mean the OP should drag him back and make him eat or anything like that. I'm having trouble understanding how showing him the food he already knows is there and has decided not to eat, is any more effective than just removing the food.

I have a dog who has recently developed pickyness about food thanks to my husband who insists he get additions like ham etc in his bowl :rolleyes: when I feed he'll look at me like I'm a bit silly expecting him to eat it. I just pick the food back up op.

You can get bowls for greedy eaters. http://www.gobblenot.com/. You could also consider dividing the food into another meal, your boxer might be a bit less daunted with a smaller bowl. I find crating when eating is very handy, and removing the food if the dog is not intersted. I wouldn't worry too much so long as your dog is a healthy weight, just keep an eye when he's eating around greedier dogs.