# Laying down while eating



## BbyParit (Oct 6, 2000)

Georgia is my second pure bred GSD. I had my first one, Sophie, from the humane society and I had her for 5 years before she disappeared from my mom's. 3 years later and now I have a new GSD puppy. One funny thing in common between them both.. laying down while eating. Bowl between the front legs and turning their heads sideways to eat. No food agression, it's not that they are protecting the bowl... just a more practical,comfortable approach to eating.

So do all GSDs do this?


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Morgan does it so I wouldn't say it's normal but it's pretty common.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Diva and Siren both lay down to eat too.


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

Mandalay did a few times, but she has raised bowls now so she would not be able to reach the food if she did it now.


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## KohleePiper (Jun 13, 2007)

Diesel likes to lay down while he eats too!


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## Crookedcreekranch (May 27, 2008)

Two of my eight always lay down to eat.


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## shikari23 (Mar 4, 2008)

Spartan lays down to eat all the time too.


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## GranvilleGSD (Mar 28, 2007)

Berlin has started lying down to eat, but I think it's because otherwise he pushes his bowl all over the room.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my dog did it. to subdue the food aggression i played in my dogs food alot. i would put my hands in it, hand feed him some, take the bowl away, rub his mouth, stand over him etc. i wanted my dog to think it's normal for him to eat and i play in his food. my dog is 19 months old now and i still handle the food and water bowl every now and then. when he was a puppy i did it all of the time.


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## KristinEnn (Oct 2, 2008)

My two other dogs dont lie down to eat and never have but Bella does. She is a lil over 5 months old. So I think its pretty common.


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## LHunter82FXRS (Oct 20, 2008)

Chico does this also, just like you described, with the bowl between his front paws, and I was just wondering how many other dogs did this. I guess it is not as unusual as I thought.


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## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

Sonny lays down too to eat


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## VALIUM (Nov 15, 2007)

It s very typical for the breed, i guess. Kenzo used to that. He was drinking his water by lying down most of the time.


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## KCandMace (Apr 8, 2008)

The boys do it every once in a while. No food aggression with them either.


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## Maryn (Feb 15, 2008)

Reich has always done it. But, only when she's totally comfortable and doesn't feel at all threatened when eating. 

When Sieg was younger and went through his 'ALL the food, everywhere, is MINE' phase...she'd stand to eat as she was better able to defend it from his little gremlin self.

I've walked in the kitchen more than once to find her laying down with my 5 year old laying on his stomach, facing her, feeding her handfulls of kibble at a time while thoroughly discussing it with her LOL

Definitely no food aggression issues. Maybe an intrusive child issue...but that's about all


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## jsherry (Nov 19, 2004)

Panzer lies down to eat. When we are outside playing and hs is running a lot and his is winded, he lies down to drink too. Under normal daily conditions, he does not lie down to drink, however.

His breeder told me to either elevate his food bowl or have him lie down while eating to avoid bloat.


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## Mandy'sMom (Feb 27, 2008)

Mandy not only lays down to eat, but she only eats when we're ready to go to sleep. Even when we leave the house for sometime, we come back to check her bowl and she hasn't touched a thing. I work from the house so during the day she is glued to my side. My other GSD did the same thing.


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

My (rawfed) dogs lay down when the food is either a large piece or consistend of bones. 
If I feed them small item foods in the bowl they'll eat standing.


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## will_and_jamie (Jul 8, 2006)

Our GSD lays down to eat and drink. It's started ever since we brought her home last April.


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