How to feed 2

[vicarrieous]

Now that we have two pups its been difficult to deal with feeding. We were told that to preven food agression it was important to feed them in 2 different rooms/areas and get them used to that as much as possible. Well this hasn't been going well. First off Albie (9 week old boy) has been eating well, but seems to want the food we put out for Kip (5 month old boy). Kip seems to just sit back and watch this all play out. Usually we can get Albie focused on one but Kip has gotten to the point where he really doesnt want to eat unless its with Albie. Kip will eat the food if Albie is eating it first.

How can I remedy this or is it not an issue to let them eat out of the same bowl or next to eachother. We definately want to monitor how much they are eating and not create and food related aggressions.

Right now they do not bite or fight for the food but we dont want these habits to start.

Thanks for your advice!

[Barbara Nixon]

When we had just two, they spent feedtimes moving from bowl to bowl, so in the end, as they only ate as much as they needed, I gave them one large bowl to share. With three, Joly was the greedy one and Izzy, slow, so we began separate feeding of Joly. Teddy is greedier than Joly, so now we are down to three, again, Monty is fed in the kitchen (He would be a pushover for the greedies), Joly in the living room and Teddy in his crate. This way everyone eats his own food, at his own pace and no agro.

[cy1266]

We feed Miles and Truman in different parts of our condo so they can't see each other or "eye" each other while eating. Sometimes whoever finishes first will run over to the other's area and try to sit there and watch them eat. I think this might be threatening to the one trying to finish his food (plus it makes them eat faster, which I don't want), so we don't allow them to sit and watch each other - they have to go somewhere else. They are never allowed to steal each other's food. Even when they eat their raw meat at dinnertime, they eat on separate towels away from each other, and if one walks away from his chicken neck or whatever the other one will not try to steal it; we're very strict with them when it comes to eating/feeding and will not tolerate any stealing/bullying.

I know many people suggest feeding in separate crates to prevent any problems with food...it may not be an issue now, but it seems that most people that have two dogs eventually do have to separate them when feeding.

[Caraline]

Ok this is a piece of cake to remedy.

Rule No 1: Don't fuss! <----- the most important rule

Rule No 2: Separate the dogs in whatever manner is easy for you. They do not have to be in separate rooms, a crate is fine as is an x-pen for one, or some other sort of room divider. They do not have to be out of sight of each other. They do need to be far enough away from each other though, that they both feel safe & that the other can't snatch their food.

Rule No 3: Put the food down for each dog. Walk away, do not look back, do not comment, taken yourself off to another room. Distract yourself

Rule No 4: Return in 15 minutes. Without a word, remove both dog dishes. Don't praise, don't scold, don't react in anyway.

Rule No 5: Keep doing all of the above for however long it takes. A healthy dog will not starve to death because he would rather this food than that, or because he wan't to eat out of somebody else's dish.

[Karlin]

Caraline just said exactly what I was going to type, saving me the effort.

I'd feed them in crates, give them 15 minutes without peering in at them, coaxing or talking to them, and at the end of 15 minutes, bowls come out and are removed regardless of what is left even if it is the entire meal. Within a few days they should be both eating their entire meal within that time. Problem solved.

If they aren't -- then they WILL be eating as much as they need within days and you still should not vary an inch from Caraline's schedule.

[karenc]

Im lucky, I feed all 10 of mine in the same place all beside each other and I have no problem.

The 9 week pup will be used to eating with siblings, with training Im sure he will learn to stay in his own dish.

[chloe92us]

I feed all three of mine in the laundry room, all in separate bowls and have no problems. I put each of their bowls in the same respective corner and they know whose is whose. At first, the puppy wanted to go and eat the others' food, but I would just pick him up and put him back over to his bowl. After about a week of that, he learned which one was his.

They are all on strict portioned diets and I wanted to make sure they each got all of their ration. One morning this past week, my puppy decided he was going to "guard" his bowl and growl at the others after they were done eating. So, I picked up his bowl and he didn't get breakfast. Needless to say, that night he wolfed it down and it hasn't been an issue since.

[Rumor]

I have a gate between the kitchen and dining room. I put Loki in the
kitchen and Remus on the other side, put the gate up and go about my business. When I go back both bowls are empty. I move the gate & Remus runs and checks Loki's bowl and Loki runs and checks Remus's bowl. Then we all go outside for a nice long walk.

[Cathy T]

Rumor - that's exactly how we do it. I have a gate that separates kitchen and family room. One eats on one side and the other eats on the other. I have to separate mine because they become very food aggressive. Once they've each eaten and I've taken up the bowls we're back to harmony. No problems. Caraline's detailed advice is perfect.

[Brian M]

Hi
All very similar, we have three girls therefore we have three crates side by side so at feed time Daisy and Rosie eat in their own crates and Poppy eats outside hers so they each have their own and nobody else's.