Meal time and separation.
Is this just some mild separation anxiety, or should I be worried this behavior could esculate? We are planning on going on vacation next month and leaving Bert at a friends house, he likes their dog Louie. I think leaving Bert with a dog he knows will be good for him, and better than at a kennel. I just hope for good behavior. |
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| My dog does something similiar. Bowl goes down and he eats with me there. If I leave, even for a second, he stops and then resumes eating again when I rturn. I now feed him and wait the few minutes it takes to finish before leaving.
I never gave it much though about seperation. My dog is not with me a few hours each day while I work and seems fine. However, when we travel, he doesn't eat as much even when with us. Your dog won't starve himself so if he doesn't eat while you'r away, I wouldn't be so concerned. I don't think a dog will purposfully starve himself if food is available 
Curious to see others responses on this one. |
| Chewie is somewhat like that. He isn't a food focused dog - he would be more than happy to skip a meal. I just think they are creatures of habit with this one too.
For example. He always will eat best if I am in the same room. Even more if I were to *hold* the bowl for him. 
But, we have worked out a system. He eats on the porch (entry into the house, his favorite area because of the cool cement floor.) BUT, he will only eat a few bites if I don't close the babygate into the rest of the house. If I forget, he nibbles, then walks into the house. And lets another dog walk out there and eat HIS food! If I close the gate, he will eat it all.  Quirky, but it works!
About the eating while at another house - don't worry, he won't starve.  Unless he is a diehard food lover, I would count on him eating a lot less than normal. Typical dog behavior of any breed. I have had more that way than those that eat at another person's house. |
| ALL mine do not eat until I come home. Since Dino get home earlier than me some afternoons, he will fix their dinners, but they just aren't interested until I am home...Actually, I just think they know one of the '''pack''' is missing and EVERYONE has to be together for dinner!!!! |
| nothing stopes my 3 from a chow down.
I think its if they leave any another will eat it. |
| Linus likes to eat when I'm in the kitchen. Dinnertime is communal for him -- but sometimes he doesn't finish, and I hear him have a midnight snack by himself in the dark!
My parents have a sheepdog who refuses to eat without an audience. She's moody, and sometimes will go on a hunger strike unless her audience is there to praise her excellent eating behavior. I think it's a control issue. |
| Noting ever gets in the way of Violet eating...she is the best eating dog I've ever had. Once her plate is layed down she does not bring her head up until the plate is empty...the house could explode around her and provided her plate is not disturbed she doesn't notice.
Asia, my Aussie, on the other hand is different. She likes to have me present or at least in eye view while she eats. If I have to go back into the bedroom or another room for something, she has been known to walk awayy from her plate and on her return find Violet's face in it. So I try and stay around the kitchen while the girls eat their meals. A few weeks ago I had to make a trip to Michigan and could not bring the girls so my son came and stayed with them. Asia would not eat for two day. She did finally start eating and by the time I came home 5 days later she was eating fine again. As was said before they usually will start eating when they get hungry enough. I really did worry about leaving Asia because of the background she came from....and she is very attached to me, but she did fine and all is well. I did, however, receive a few calls from my son concerned about her not eating and also she cried for me. I hope you have a wonderful vacation. Eventually he will get used to you coming and going. |
| Christy, Bert's sister is the same way. Jenny has to have someone in the room with her when she is eating too or she will walk away to see where you are going. I never thought of it as separation, just that she is too curious for her own good. |
| You've accidently trained him to eat in your presence. Gradually wean him off this by at first going to the other end of the room and ignore him. Wait 20 minutes and if food remains, pick it up and that's it until next meal. Next step is to step into a nearby room where he can still see you. Third step next room but he can hear you......sing to yourself. If at any time he comes to you lead him back to his bowl once, give "eat" command or whatever you use and then leave again. 20 minutes later pick up bowl. Over time their brain will receive messages from their rumbling tummies, "Eat stupid before she removes the food."
Since we've always fed the dogs together, we stay there with them to correct bad manners. Eventually they are so cool with the situation we can leave. Problem is if one is "off their beans" I don't know because the others will clean the leftovers. So I try to get back before all have finished and survey the bowls. "Good doggies" goes out and then they run to the cookie jar for their after meal treat. |
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