# Laying down to eat?



## SophieGSD

Sophie has laid down to eat ever since we got her, at three months old. She will be a year old next Sunday, and still lays down to eat!

Is the something that could potentially hurt her, or just one of those G-Shep quirks?
If it's a potential problem, how can I train her out of it?


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## Stosh

Our last gsd always did that and Stosh does about 50% of the time


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## IloveGSDs

Cody is 8 years old and lays down to eat twice a day. As far as I know he has had no problems. I think he is smart. Why stand when u can lay down and rest while eating. He just needs a TV and a remote control and he is set!


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## kennajo

Rocky likes to "belly up to the bar" too! In fact he lost weight when I tried the raised bowls. I had never seen any dog do that and didn't realize how important it was to him.


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## kiya

All 3 of my dogs eat laying down almost all of the time, I have never seen any kind of problem.


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## 1337f0x

Simba lays down to eat too. My boyfriend, when buying his bowl, got a giant bowl for a fully grown GSD so when Simba isn't laying down with his face in the bowl. He follows Bingo and picks up food in his mouth, walks to the living room, drop it on the floor, and eat there, then go back when he finishes the kibble. So it's either laying down, or travelling with him lol. Or front paws in the bowl while he noms.


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## doggiedad

1>>> when my dog was a pup he would lay down
to eat and drink sometimes. then to show his
appreciation he would tip the water bowl. :laugh:

2>>> i don't know for a fact if laying down to eat
or drink will hurt a dog but i doubt it will hurt
them. there's certain treats i give my dog
and he takes them and lays down with them
to eat them. i think laying down to eat or
drink is a dog thing. it's not breed specific.

3>>> if i were going to train my dog to eat
standing and drinking i would make him stand
whenever he laid down to eat or drink. that
only works when you're home.



SophieGSD said:


> 1>>> Sophie has laid down to eat ever since we got her, at three months old.
> 
> 2 >>> Is the something that could potentially hurt her, or just one of those G-Shep quirks?
> 
> 3>>> If it's a potential problem, how can I train her out of it?


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## SophieGSD

Glad to know Sophie's not the only silly pup! But yeah, all of our friends have asked if it was normal when she does that, so I figured I'd ask y'all!

Sophie only lays down to eat. She'll stand up to get water, but will lay right back down to finish eating! Haha it's funny.


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## Snickelfritz

I had a GSD/Black Lab mix that always layed down to eat. He was a hoot.


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## Discoetheque

My dogs lay down to eat, and I actually encourage it and likely will until given reason to think otherwise. It seems like the capacity for gulping air while laying down to eat might be diminished as well as reducing strain on the neck and back.


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## BlackGSD

All of my GSDs have eaten laying down. Never had any that had issues from doing so.


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## SophieGSD

Yeah, I just thought it was strange at first. I've had Huskies and smaller dogs (Chihuahuas and Rat Terriers..) and none of them ever did that.

Haha oh well. =P I guess now we have something else to laugh at with her.


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## Chicagocanine

My GSD doesn't do that but my Golden did. I think it started because I would put her in a down/stay and then put her food down, and when she went through a "picky" stage I made her keep in a stay until she finished her bowl (it sounds like what you'd do with a kid, but it did work) so after that she always just lay down to eat.


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## shepherdmom

Do dogs eat standing up?  Seriously though the majority of the dogs who've owned me over the years ate lying down.


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## selzer

Bear turned 2 I think yesterday, and this morning she was laying down to eat her kibble. I think Cujo still does.


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## CarrieJ

Add Alice to the list of laying down and leisurely enjoying her meal. 
She'll start standing up, then you hear this big KERPLUNK of her rear end hitting the floor.


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## Angelina03

I wish Rocco would lay down and leisurely enjoy his food. He eats so fast, he barely has time to walk up to the bowl before he's done eating.


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## Jeven's Tyde

Tyde does it too! Hahaha! 

And he will also tip the water bowl to show appreciation! :crazy:

My daughter and I will just stand there watching him... he's very active eating/drinking. Starts standing, then lays down, after a few chomps or gulps, he'll stand up... and repeat.

Silly puppays.


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