I have a 4 month old Staffy pup. He is healthy and happy he has had a recent vet check and all is well. Jackson (the puppy) used to chase us and run after us jumping for his food bowl, then one day he started to get a little cautious of the bowl, now when we put his bowl down for him and he freaks out. He stays about 1-2 meters away from the bowl and it takes us about 15 minutes to coax him closer. When he finally gets to his bowl he pigs out and loves every bite so its not the food. He has never been punished for anything to do with food or even anywhere near his eating area. We have tried 3 different bowls all made of different materials, we tried moving his eating area and we even lock the cats out of the area he eats in just in case (he has always been fine with the cats they get on great). I don't know what else to try. He eats well and he has no problem with his water or biscuit bowls. His eating area is back how it started (before the problems). Has anyone got any ideas?
2006-11-26 11:37:25 · 12 answers · asked by Mishka 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Sounds like you've tried everything but One---you need to remove yourself from the bowl area and stop making such a big deal out of it. He doesn't know what to think of your insistence and coaxing. Altho he wasn't punished and we don't know what triggered this, you've tried everything BUT getting yourself out of the picture, correct? New bowls, new places, no more cats....but Mom's still there, begging and carrying on.
He could even be reading your own frustration and confusion, even with you pleading and coaxing, and figures there is something wrong with the bowl and the whole situation. You say he WILL eat, finally. Is that after you've moved away?
I would recommend to put the bowl down and for you to leave the area and pretend to do something else, totally ignoring him, even leave the room. See if that makes a difference. He might be thinking YOU'RE the one who has issues with his bowl :-)
Good luck to you.
2006-11-26 11:49:14 · answer #1 · answered by Charlotte M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dog (now almost two) also had this strange problem right from the day I got her at 7weeks old. I tried all sorts of ways I resorted to feeding her dried food and putting it on a plastic mat rather than in a bowl this worked for a few days, but (stupidly) I even hand fed her as I wanted to make sure she would eat. I asked advice from my vet and her reply was that my pup was being a princess and I was spoiling her. LOL I was told that she could go 2 days without food. I was advised to just put the food down, give her time to eat and if she didn't just pick the food up and don't feed her again til next meal time. This helped me to stop worrying and toughen up. So I just put the food in a small plastic cat bowl, stopped making a fuss of her and left it there. I gave her a while and if she didn't eat it tough! I had another dog back then and if the food was left there long enough she would go and eat it that taught my pup to eat or go hungry. She did eventually improve and now wolfs her food down in minutes! Though even to this day she is still fussy over which bowl I use and will not eat or drink out of a silver coloured or shiny bowl!
2016-03-12 23:32:57 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just make sure there is food in the bowl and that he knows it is there and let him cope. His stress is obviously stressing you out just as much if not even more so, and he might even pick up on that making the problem worse. As you have said he is willing to eat and he can be coaxed to the bowl so it may not be the bowl that is the problem, maybe its the fact that you are all watchign him eat. My dog also named Jackson is a golden retriever and when he was a puppy he didnt like anyone around him while he ate because he had to stick his head in the bowl and he hated not being able to see what was going on around him. So he wouldn't eat until he thought everyone was a safe distance away. Try putting the food down and going into another room and ignoring him, he wont starve himself and if he really is afriad of the bowl his hunger will eventually force him to approach the bowl and then he will see that it wont attack him or hurt him in anyway.
Hope this helps - Josh
2006-11-26 11:54:44 · answer #3 · answered by Josh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Could he have possibly spooked himself of the bowl playing with it. I've seen dogs tip them over or get splashed with water while playing with them and it spooks them a little. Or maybe he got the food bowl on his head at some point.
2006-11-26 11:42:09 · answer #4 · answered by Jennifer R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry. When your puppy gets really hungry...he'll go for the bowl and remember that and associate it with food.
2006-11-26 11:48:31 · answer #5 · answered by hillaryc59bc 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try feeding him out of your hand first and slowly lower your hand towards the bowl until he is eating out of the bowl. The entire time pet him with your other hand and talk sweet to him. It might take awhile to but soon he should associate the bowl with good feelings soon and go back to eating out of it on his own.
2006-11-26 11:43:02 · answer #6 · answered by luvmypupkins 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just keep introducing him to it...eventually he will not be scared of it anymore when he knows that is the only way he will be able to eat! LOL Sounds like you have tried EVERYTHING...But I am sure he will grow out of this soon...maybe it's just a phase. What does your vet say?
2006-11-26 11:42:05 · answer #7 · answered by ~*FreeSoul*~ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If u hand feed him 4 a while, he might outgrow that and then he might eat out of the bowl. Good luck!
2006-11-26 11:41:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You might just have to let him get used to it he will get used to it eventually. He won't starve himeself. I had a puppy do the same thing and the vet said to let him overcome his fear
2006-11-26 11:40:55 · answer #9 · answered by HOTTIE 101 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe he just need time to like the bowl..try taking him to the vet ...maybe the vet will help..
2006-11-26 11:45:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋