Won't eat out of his dish

Hi,

My Charlie who is 14 months old and does not like to eat out of his dish (I think I may have started this bad habit). So, now what I've been doing is putting it on the floor for him, kind of spreading it out in a little area. Then he lays by it for awhile, if he's hungry, he will eat it off from the floor. He has always been like this since he was a puppy. I first started trying different dishes, paper plates, towels, etc. It seems like if I leave it in his dish he doesn't eat it for quite a long time or not al all, that's why I started doing all this stuff. He's healthy and gets his checkups at the vet on a regular basis and is at a good weight. Should I just leave his food in his bowl and not do this so called, "food game" thing? I just wish he would eat out of his dog dish.

Thanks.
Shelley
Charlie's Mom

Yep, you started it.icon_whistling Its best to train him away from this and its not really hard to do.

Put his food dish down, no fuss, no begging him to eat. Just put it down and go about your business. If he doesn't eat after 15 minutes, pick up the food, again with no fuss. Its really important that you give NO food, NO treats of any kind until next mealtime. Then put down his food again, if he doesn't eat again, pick it up. It may take a day or so, but he will get the hint and be hungry enough to eat. Just make sure he has water available.

Another thought, if his tags are clanging on the bowl, he may not like that, so you may have to use a plastic or paper bowl or dish.

No dog will willing starve himself. Put the food in a bowl in the morning, leave it 15 minutes and pick up afterwards, whether he has eaten or not. Repeat in the evening.

Some people do "free-feed" and leave the food out all day, letting the dog regulate how much he eats. I cannot imagine this working with my Cavalier, who would eat all day if I let him.

Good luck. I think he will eating from a bowl on regular basis within a day or two.

If you are using a metal dish his identity disk may be clanking against the side - I had to change Aled's dish to a ceramic one because of this, he is very sound sensitive.

Kate, Oliver and Aled

Agree with above! Many cavaliers just love turning mealtime into me-attention time instead. Do just what Joyce said. He could go a couple of days without eating if he's really stubborn (and there's no harm at all if so, for a healthy dog) but bet he will be eating right out of his dish within about two to three mealtimes.

One of my rescues, I was told, had to be hand fed.

Balderdash! She was an ex puppy farm dog who'd been fed in outside kennels in dishes for years and certainly did not expect hand feeding... not til she found the foster family would shower her with this particularly gratifying form of one on one attention if she just delayed eating a bit.

There was no way I was going to handfeed her. She held out for 24 hours and when she realised the food actually -- horrors! -- went AWAY, she learned to eat out of a dish again right away. :lol:

Thanks for the great advice. I'm trying it right now and so far he hasn't eaten today It does make sense, he has gotten a lot of attention with his food on our part.

I'll keep you posted on the outcome.

Thanks again.
Shelley