i have a 9 month old boxer and 1 year old mini poodle. Every time we leave the house, our boxer goes and eats the poodles food. Both
of the dogs have separate food bowls that are placed on opposite sides of the house. Our boxer knows where its food bowl is, but for some reason when we arent home, or when she thinks no bodys around ( I have caught her on several occasions) she starts to eat the poodles dry dog food. On occasion when we are home, but not looking, the poodle will go eat the boxers food! When we catch them we spray them with bottled water and tell them no! but it seems to keep happening. Can anybody tell me why? Is it jealousy?
2007-08-23 01:27:08 · 27 answers · asked by greekfacehoe 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
no short answers please, i'd prefer people who can think up an actual reason
2007-08-23 01:52:04 · update #1
It's not jealousy - it's instinct. They need food, they eat food. They will eat anything that they consider food, within reach.
These are dogs, not children. Stop with the spray bottle.
Feed your dogs separately, twice each day. Give them meals, don't free feed. Allow 30 minutes to eat their food, then take the bowls away.
This is a great way to establish routine, as well as monitor diet and weight. Also helps with bathroom schedule.
In addition, you will know quickly if one of your dogs is ill, and refuses food.
Good luck!
2007-08-23 01:40:47 · answer #1 · answered by Suzi 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I do not think you can win this one. The Rule for dogs: Eat first and ask never. If there is food of any kind around, theirs, human food or other dogs, then go for it. It always tastes better when the stuff in their bowl. We have two dogs the same breed that we feed twice a day in different rooms. As soon as both of them are done, they check the other's food bowl.
Before these we had a big dog and a tea cup poodle. The poodle was a granger (fill the bowl every 3ed day, eats when he wanted and not gains weight). The big dog had to be monitor or else she would put on weight. We feed her twice a day. I setup a small fence in area with a small opening that protected the little guy’s food.
2007-08-30 14:31:27 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's fighting for the headship of the pack. It looks like the poodle is the alpha right now, and boxer waits until poodle can't see before he finishes the poodle's food. Even if they eat the same food, #2 in the pack eats after #1. Now if #1 shows up while #2 is eating, #2 lets #1 eat her food, but she's smart enough to know that if #1 is eating #2's food, NOBODY is eating #1's food. So she'll hightail it to poodle-food and chow down.
It's a pack thing. I don't think you can do anything about it, except stand over each dog while they eat their entire meal and put the leftover food and bowl up when they're done.
Good luck,
TX Mom
not a vet
2007-08-30 12:12:22 · answer #3 · answered by TX Mom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
An animal is an animal. Especially at your boxers age (alot of times puppies think they are always hungry). There is no way to keep her from doing it besides don't free feed. I hope that your Boxer is on dry food it is very very important for her teeth. Offer food at the same time give them 10-15 minutes and what is left should just be picked up and offered again later for the same amount of time. You shouldn't be upset with her it's normal. Dry food always unless physically they can't chew. And if your feeding the Boxer large breed formula the Poodle can have it too it just has extra Gluclosomin and Chondriten for the hips and joints. Or feed them in separate rooms.
2007-08-30 13:22:59 · answer #4 · answered by Stephanie M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both of your dogs are still quite young so if they have the compulsion to eat the other's food, they will. It's a simple fact.
They are animals, not humans and a spray bottle won't deter them from eating one another's food.
Sometimes animals will eat another's food to show dominance and sometimes just because it's there. At your dogs ages, they should not be having food left out for them. They should have a certain amount of time to eat, and then you pick up their bowl.
Closing the door while one eats is your best solution--then the other one can't get to the food. We do this daily--if we didn't, our Jack Russell would eat all of the cat's food in no time--so we feed our kitty separately--and everyone gets their share. Now, isn't that easy?
2007-08-30 18:15:30 · answer #5 · answered by Bromeliad 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does it matter? are they being fed something different? Their ages are close enough they could be eating the same diet. I free feed all my dogs and have both big and small and all of them eat out of each others bowls and we have no problems, no fighting and they all look really good.
if the poodle is really tiny and eats a different size kibble, you can put a gate up or a small dog door within one of your doors so that the poodle can come and go and the boxer needs to stay on the other side.
just some thoughts-good luck, Sheri
2007-08-30 05:14:17 · answer #6 · answered by ponytails07 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feed my two chihuahuas the same amount of the exact same food in two bowls next to each other and they routinely switch bowls, I think they just want to make sure that the other does not get something extra or special. I don't bother correcting them as they both eat the same amount, just switch off for bites.. really silly if you ask me.
My older chihuahua / toy poodle mix would eat everyone's food if she could, however she is up on the couch and cannot get down without help so she can't get to the younger Chis food bowls.
2007-08-23 02:07:53 · answer #7 · answered by mairin 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is simple, a child will do this to, If you have a toy and I have the same or different toy i will want it. Dogs have a pack mentallity, The alpa will display its authority by what means they deem fit. This is just another way to show that. if you didnt have another dog then it would just leave that bowl alone most likely. You may try to show the boxer that he is not the alpa dog, this also could be backwards and the poodle thinks it the alpa and the boxer is rebelling. OR maybe they just like the others food if it is not the same brand? try this, he is very good!!
AskCesar@CesarMillanInc.com.
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/column/index.php
2007-08-30 09:56:43 · answer #8 · answered by thenascardog 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My boyfriend has a black lab and a poodle, and the same thing happens with them. When it's nice outside, he feeds the lab outside and the poodle inside. The lab loves being outside and the poodle likes to be inside, so it works out. If they are both inside, he monitors them while they eat and makes sure they stay at their own food bowls.
2007-08-23 01:38:23 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
dog eat dogs food leave house
2016-02-02 02:36:31 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋