# Multiple dogs don't eat their own food



## DavyAnn (Jul 3, 2015)

Hey again guys. Since the advice on here has been so amazing I figured I'd bring up another subject. 

We have two dogs in the house. Our 11 week old Shepherd and a year old cocker spaniel. When it comes to meal time, they won't eat our of their own bowls. They both keep trying to switch. She's on large breed puppy food so we don't want her eating his but aren't sure how to stop it other than sitting on the floor between them. He'll wander over to eat hers too. 

We tried to separate them on either side of a baby gate but neither will eat when the other one is in sight but they can't get to them. I'm just not sure how to fix this. We will redirect them to their own bowls when they wander.. But like I said that requires I sit on the floor and watch them eat.

Any ideas?


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Feed them in crates, or in separate rooms with a closed door between them so they can't see each other.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I would put the food down for 5 minutes, if they don't eat, pick it up and try again next meal time. They need to learn to eat even if they are separated by a crate or gate (which I would do, for starters).

I have 4 dogs and feed them all at the same time, together and they don't get in each others' food or try to switch. They each have a different bowl and I feed them in the same order (when I set the bowls down) in the same spot in the driveway every time so they know what to expect.


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

You can use a door between them... Separate rooms. But if they were my dogs, that wouldn't be a long term solution. 

I fill the bowls on the countertop and whoever is sitting and giving me uninterrupted eye contact first for the longest, gets their bowl first. 

I think at the beginning I stood between them and monitored... Not sure because it's been a while... But I do know I would *never* sit between them. Definitely continue to stand, and if they won't stick to their own bowls, simply pick the bowls back up, set them in the counter, and start over. You might need to wait 3-5 minutes before you try again. 

You don't even have to say a word. They'll figure it out if you're consistent. They eat their own food, or they lose the chance to eat anything for a while. Period.


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## DavyAnn (Jul 3, 2015)

Thanks so much for the advice guys. I'm for sure going to try it all!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Now would be a real good time to put a stop to that! It will serve you well in the long run!


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

Pick one strategy at a time. Give it a week of consistency, and if it doesn't work, take the next advice. 

But I forgot to say, if every dog doesn't comply, no dog eats. If one dog goes after another's bowl, pick up all bowls. That way, the conflict is removed from all dogs and you maintain control over the packs food supply. Don't worry about the complicit dog, though it sounds like neither of yours are . Worry more about the aggressor. The complicit dog wants to eat safely and will get it. It's a natural order. No dog eats until they all follow the rules. It's not cruel. It's natural to them. They'll figure it out, post haste.


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## angelas (Aug 23, 2003)

Liesje said:


> I would put the food down for 5 minutes, if they don't eat, pick it up and try again next meal time. They need to learn to eat even if they are separated by a crate or gate (which I would do, for starters).


In addition to this the trainer at my club also suggests that on the next meal they get HALF of what they ate the first time. So if they ate 6 kibbles the first meal before leaving it they get 3 kibbles the next time. No treats between, no toppings or extras. Just the meal and that is all. It won't harm a pup to skip a couple meals. When they get hungry enough they will eat when the food is set down.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

feed them separately so that there is no competitive tension.

while one is feeding , the other is not , and is not even in the same room 

11 week old can easily be intimidated by the year old throwing a stink eye at it , which you may not even be aware of .

sitting on the floor trying to direct feeding doesn't add any peace -- more tension


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I've had the opposite, when I have a picky eater, I feed all my dogs together (same time, same space though not right on top of each other) and no more picky eaters or dogs that refuse to eat! If they won't eat it, someone else will (or I'll pick it up). If the dog is healthy and has no medical reason for being picky, it's not something I have the patience for. I don't allow my dogs to pester each other while eating or dive in someone else's food bowl, but if one dog refuses to eat and walks away, you bet the other dogs will finish that bowl once theirs is gone! A little competition doesn't hurt as long as there aren't fights, posturing, and growling. My little pit bull likes to lick out all the bowls after the other dogs are done so she will finish first and then stand back and wait until the other dogs walk away, then clean out all the bowls for me


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

I feed both mine in separate indoor kennels.


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## DavyAnn (Jul 3, 2015)

Thanks guys! Thankfully neither of them are food aggressive so they don't fight with each other. Lol its like having toddlers.


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## DavyAnn (Jul 3, 2015)

Well it seems as though they've switched from not eating their own food to picking up a mouthful of food and dropping it on the floor and eating it from there.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

do you think this is because of stress and wanting to create a distance between them?

"Thankfully neither of them are food aggressive so they don't fight with each other"

Yet. Takes a while to build a fire ! 
You have a total disadvantage of size - a GSD and a cocker spaniel , both young , both needing to mature and come into their own.
Eventually the GSD will eat whatever and wherever it wants and the cocker spaniel will be shorted -- or get fed up one day and strike out . Then you will have tension in the house beyond feeding time .
You know the kids joke ? What do you feed an 800 pound gorilla ? Anything he wants.


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## DavyAnn (Jul 3, 2015)

We haven't separated them or fed them in crates. So far just given them time to eat and if they don't eat, it gets picked up. 

But I really dont know why they would be putting it on the floor. The cocker spaniel did that before so I suppose the gsd learned from him. I'm not sure.


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## IronhorseRomo (Jul 20, 2015)

My problem is similar. My Heeler is in no rush to eat. My 10 wk old GSD is always in a huge rush to eat. He can be dead asleep and wake up as soon as he hears the sound of the bowls clinking. When I put the bowls down ( bout 5' apart ) he tries to go back and fourth. At first my Heeler would allow it. Now she's tolerating it. Not sure how to fix that with a puppy. 


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## kelliewilson (Jan 1, 2015)

Maybe feeding them at diffrat times?


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