# Not wanting to eat out of his bowl....



## KendraLovey (Jan 17, 2011)

We rescued a new pup from the shelter last week saturday. She is a 7month old medium size mix. My husband fell in love with her. Anyways....Schindler seems to be ok with the new dog. They are getting along very well and seem to be bonding more and more every day. When we brought her home we were trying to get them to eat out of their own dishes, she was on a different brand and it was puppy food. We had them at different spots in the kitchen so it wasnt too tempting to want the other dogs food. Schindler kept trying to eat her food and I would correct him back to his dish. We have gradually switched her over to the same food he has. 

Schindler is a very emotional guy and will not eat if he is upset. Well he has been eating very little lately and I gave it to the fact that there is a new dog in the house. But he will eat out of my hand with no problem, he just doesnt want to eat out of his dish or hers for that matter. Is this because he was being corrected and now he thinks that he cant eat out of his dish? I have told him it's ok, and he will come to his dish and smell it, just wont eat it. Not sure what to do...... And by correcting I mean a simple "No, you come over here", and then praising when he did. There was no yelling or anything...I rarely have to raise my voice and I have never had to swat him.


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

Very simple....two crates, both eat out of their own bowls in their own space/crate. If he doesn't eat, it is ok, he will eat it when he is hungry. No dog will starve itself.


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## KendraLovey (Jan 17, 2011)

I have a crate for her, but I never thought he needed one. He has two baby mattresses that I use for beds, one in the living room and one in my bedroom. He knows those are his. I have a very big fenced in back yard and that is where he stays when I am gone. I have tried to feed them in seperate rooms and that does not do the trick.......


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

1) See above.. I start off feeding dogs in their crates (door open). 

2) Don't anthropomorphize. Hes under some stress from a new dog around. Dogs don't eat when stressed. He won't die. When my female went into her first heat a few months ago, my male stopped eating because he was so frustrated at not being able to get what he wanted. He dropped 10 lbs in 1 week. He's still kicking. Just make sure there are no other health issues that may be causing it, and he'll be fine.

3) don't feed him from your hand. Starting a bad precedent there


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## KendraLovey (Jan 17, 2011)

hunterisgreat said:


> 3) don't feed him from your hand. Starting a bad precedent there


 
Good to know...thank you!


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

KendraLovey said:


> Good to know...thank you!


Not really a *bad* thing, but you're deviating from the norm and what you want him to do. If he grows to expect this, then you've got trouble getting him eating from the bowl for a different reason


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## KendraLovey (Jan 17, 2011)

So I pretty much just need to keep feeding him like I always have and eventually he will eat. I do not have a crate for him. I could feed the new pup in her crate and feed him at his usual spot...


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

KendraLovey said:


> So I pretty much just need to keep feeding him like I always have and eventually he will eat. I do not have a crate for him. I could feed the new pup in her crate and feed him at his usual spot...


I wouldn't change a thing. He'll eat when he's ready. Offer the food for 20 mins or so, then put it away. Just right down the last time he ate and how much, and weigh him daily. If he looses too much weight (can't tell you how much is too much for your dog) then its vet time. Otherwise, you can wait him out.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

KendraLovey said:


> So I pretty much just need to keep feeding him like I always have and eventually he will eat. I do not have a crate for him. I could feed the new pup in her crate and feed him at his usual spot...


This is the best option: your first dog gets to eat with his normal routine and the puppy who doesn't know any different can easily learn to eat in his crate.


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## KendraLovey (Jan 17, 2011)

Thank You


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I feel your pain. I have an overly sensitive guy that would go off food if I've hurt his feelings. He isn't as bad now as he was when he was a puppy, but at 16 months he still gets his feelings hurt.

What I would do when he was not eating due to a sensitivity issue, was I'd take him out and work him. Lots of praises and I mean overly praise! Big gestures! "Sit....oh what a good boy..good..good (hugs and kisses)" Bring his confidence back and before you know it he is strutting his butt around and eating like a horse.


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## KendraLovey (Jan 17, 2011)

Lilie said:


> I feel your pain. I have an overly sensitive guy that would go off food if I've hurt his feelings. He isn't as bad now as he was when he was a puppy, but at 16 months he still gets his feelings hurt.
> 
> What I would do when he was not eating due to a sensitivity issue, was I'd take him out and work him. Lots of praises and I mean overly praise! Big gestures! "Sit....oh what a good boy..good..good (hugs and kisses)" Bring his confidence back and before you know it he is strutting his butt around and eating like a horse.


 
Ya know, I think you are absolutely right. Now that I look at it, it is a confidence issue. He has been acting weird. Any little correction with the puppy and he takes off like I was correcting him. Poor guy, he is just insecure right now. His home has been altered.....

Now I know what to do. Thanks!!!


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## KendraLovey (Jan 17, 2011)

Well it's been 2 days since my last post on this. He has ate about 1 cup of food over the last 2 days. This is a mess and it's driving me crazy.


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