I have a 6 year old Beagle. Recently, she started pushing her bowl around on the floor and knocking the food out of the bowl before eating. Sometimes she leaves the food on the floor and doesn't eat it. It's one of those bowls that has a section for her food and another for her water. She never used to do this. Any ideas? She's making a mess on our floor a couple times a day!
2007-11-23 01:52:16 · 18 answers · asked by BAM 7 in Pets ➔ Dogs
the bowl type you describe is usually made out of plastic - if this is the case - get rid of the bowl immediately..
plastic is pourous and can contain bacteria and is impossible to actually clean thoroughly..
PLUS dogs should never have food left out more than 1/2 hour after feeding time (eg all uneaten food should be removed after 1/2 hour - so this would mean extra work for you because you have to empty the bowl and fill up with water and put it back again
switch to a STAINLESS STEEL bowl - you can get them with rubber rims on the bottom so they cannot be pushed around - you can get really tall rimmed ones that they cannot simply knock the food out of..
she is simply bored and making a game for herself - more mental stimulation durring the day will also help (eg more games of catch or practicing her training)
2007-11-23 02:06:30 · answer #1 · answered by CF_ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try changing her dishes. Get a heavy bowl that she can't push around and perhaps something that is deep so that she can't get her food out so easy. Also if you leave her food out all the time put her on a set eatting schedule that way when it's time to eat she isn't playing. If you feed her once in the morning and again in the afternoon she won't starve to death and she will realize that when the food is out it's to eat not to play. But I would also try getting a bowl for food and a bowl for water and make sure that the food bowl is deep and heavy so she can't push it around anymore.
2007-11-23 01:58:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Go to your local pet store. There may be something like the link below there. Either that or glue the bowl to the floor.
And if you don't like that idea, change the food bowl. Maybe she doesn't like the fact that there are 2 sections. Get 2 different bowls. Maybe it will work. Dogs are picky.
2007-11-23 01:59:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I got a little piece of carpeting that doesn't slide and put the bowls on that to keep them from scooting around on the floor but likely what the dog is doing is also burrowing her nose down into the food and that is just something they sometimes do. Dogs are very social eaters and recently my girl decided that having her food in the kitchen to eat while I was in the front room wasn't social enough so she started bringing mouthfuls of food into the frontroom and dropping them on the floor to 'share' with me! haha Luckily she is a chow hound and will clean up any food off of the floor but every now and then she will bark at the food, start getting a mouthful and tossing it up in the air trying to catch pieces and then 'tracking' down the pieces she misses... just sort of having a good ole time with her meals! Again, luckily she cleans it all up! Maybe feed your girl a little less so that she is willing and wanting to clean up after herself after 'playing' with her food :) I don't know if you are leaving the food down for free feeding but if you put down her bowl with the food twice a day with what she will eat in it then maybe she won't leave the mess. I would get rid of the bowl with both water and food places as she can spill the water messing around with the food and she needs the water down always but not the food. Good luck!
2007-11-23 02:05:52 · answer #4 · answered by Nancy M 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is alomost nothing you can do , Sorry thats what makes her comfortable is to put it on the floor first. They only thing you may want to try is a feeding bowl with a larger top maybe she is feeling to confined and on guard with her current bowl if it is to small around or to deep that her eyes can see over it
2007-11-23 01:55:48 · answer #5 · answered by saint bernard 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You might try getting a separate bowl for her food, one that is made to prevent tipping. Usually they have rubber "rings" (I'm not sure what else to call them) around the bottom edge of the bowl that helps grip the floor better.
2007-11-23 01:56:29 · answer #6 · answered by wibelle37 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
sounds like you are leaving food out for her all the time. It might not be a bad idea to only feed her at each meal. If she isn't finishing what you give her, then give her less at each meal.
Twice a day is typically good for feeding a dog. If it is left out all the time and always full, then she might be playing with it because she is bored with the same food all the time and always having it available to her, just makes it worse.
2007-11-23 01:58:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Petsmart has these great bowls that are metal with a rubber band on the botton. It flares out also on the botom. It is a spill proof bowl. They are really great. Or you can use one of those stands that lift the bowls off the ground but the bowls are inside the stand.
2007-11-23 01:56:14 · answer #8 · answered by Poppy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its still a puppy after time grows it wills top maybe cause beagles are really active and dont tend to lsiten often so I suggest maybe yelling at her when she knocks some out and eventually shell get the picture
2007-11-23 01:55:48 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make a wooden box to put the food dish inside of so it can't be knocked over.
2007-11-23 02:00:34 · answer #10 · answered by Nedra E 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋