He’s been confused for months now. Is he allowed to eat, or isn’t he?
LB developed a very bad habit of lying next to the food bowl and grazing for as long as there was any food in the bowl upon which to graze. This could have gone on for hours if I’d allowed it; the boy’s got a lot of capacity.
He was also getting a butt as big as all outdoors, and so I started chasing him away from the bowl whenever I saw him doing it. His two brain cells got together to discuss this very serious matter and concluded that he was no longer permitted to eat. Being a good and obedient dog but still a dog, LB interpreted this as a need to be sneaky. So he stopped eating at all in my presence. But night after night as soon as I retired to the loft I heard him head for the bowl and chow down. That was fine, but if I heard his paws slide out from under him in preparation for a nice leisurely graze I’d just speak his name in the dark. Then I’d hear him get back up and move away from the bowl.
Things have lightened up lately, since he’s less likely to do the grazing thing. But sometimes he’s still not sure how he’s supposed to behave. This morning I sliced some mold off my last loaf of bread (and alas there’ll be no time to bake more today) and dropped the discarded slice into the dog bowl. Since Ghost is outside, LB naturally and correctly decided all that bread are belong to him. But Daddy was standing right there! He couldn’t take it! Yelp!
He stood next to the bowl, growing ever more frantic. He wanted it! He couldn’t have it! I encouraged him to take the bread, but that only made matters worse. Conflicting instructions! What’s a poor dog to do?
If he popped any more brain cells he’d enter a persistent vegetative state. So I had mercy and turned my back. Just for a moment, but a moment was all he needed. Snarf, chomp, problem solved.
Poor LB… that’s horrid. Once I had two dogs with VERY different eating habits and needs. They only got fed once a day, with a measured amount, so it was not complicated. The big dog stayed in the kitchen with his bowl, and the little bitty one went into the guest bathroom with his. They had half an hour to eat it. Any left in the bowl after that time was picked up and put away. Only water was left out free choice all the time where they could both easily get to it. A little more work for you, perhaps, but much better for the dogs in the long run – and no crunching sounds in the night! 🙂
My new dog is only 23 pounds and doesn’t seem to eat enough to keep a bird alive, but I’m following the same program. He gets his measured kibble in the morning, and often with the water from my poached egg on it, and he eats all or most of it in less than half an hour. Anything left is saved for the next day. Just an idea. 🙂
I’ve tried that. But I only have the one room, Ghost is getting older and has never been required to eat on a schedule, and I’m trying not to turn it into a big deal. Poor guy has enough on his plate coping with Zoe.
This is true. 🙂 It is best if they get used to that when young. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.