[Taltarzac725]

Why Does My Dog . . . Pluck Food From His Bowl to Eat It in Another Spot?

My mother is quite perturbed that Beau-- our recently adopted Chihuahua/terrier mix-- is following in the paw prints of his predecessor, Sport. Sport used to take the food we gave him he found the most appetizing from his bowl and go eat it on the carpet. It seems there is a DNA explanation for this. He is saving his best choices from other dogs poaching it. Does not matter that he is the only dog in the house now. His inner wolf pushes him to do this so he does not have to tangle with the bigger members of the pack.

Anyone have a dog with this habit and how did you cure him/her of it?

I tried putting his food out on the lanai and talking to him about eating it out there on the outdoor rug but he would have nothing to do with it.

We would like to have a clean carpet AND a well fed and healthy pooch.

[DonH57]

Our dog Bailey insist on doing the same. He pulls a mouthful from his bowl and brings it to wherever we are sitting then drops it and starts chowing down. He repeately does this until he is finished eating. The chocolate lab we had before him never did it.

[Lovethisplace]

Originally Posted by DonH57

Our dog Bailey insist on doing the same. He pulls a mouthful from his bowl and brings it to wherever we are sitting then drops it and starts chowing down. He repeately does this until he is finished eating. The chocolate lab we had before him never did it.

Same here. He always eats the last piece before going for a new mouthful.

[Madelaine Amee]

I am baby sitting a dog that does it - very annoying, not even my dog - more annoying. She not only removes it piece by piece to my good rug in the living room, she stares intently into the dish waiting for the food to bite her before she bites the food, she nudges the bowl with her nose, she paws at the bowl and tips the food out onto the floor, then jumps back as though it is going to attack her.

When my lab ate her dinner I don't think it touched the inside of her throat on the way down, and anything she found on the floor was a bonus!

[villager]

DonH57, I wonder... Since dogs are pack animals and you are his pack, could it be that he is bringing his food to you so he can eat with his pack? Also, some dogs are social eaters and don't like to eat alone. Our dog is a social eater. If we stand near his bowls, he will be more likely to eat than if we walk away. Interesting threads! Any animal behaviorists or vets out there with an answer?

[NotGolfer]

Years ago we had a miniature poodle that did this. Just thought it was a "dog thing". Never 'broke' her of it neither.

[lovsthosebigdogs]

If you crate him at all you could try feeding him in his crate or leashing him to a certain spot until he's finished. Or only dropping a couple of pieces at a time and waiting until he finishes, then dropping in another one or two pieces of kibble. See if it stops. I crated my new dog in the beginning until he was acclimated to the house because he ate slower than the other dogs and would lose interest, and walk away (he had been free fed before I got him). He adapted and we removed the crate eventually. Different problem, I know, but it might work for you also.

[TednRobin]

Our yorkie, Merlin does the same thing. Always takes a piece under the kitchen table and eats it. Only does it with one piece then will eat the rest out of the bowl. He also will insist on hiding his Milkbones out in the yard, will move them time after time, after a week or so outside he will then eat them. I'm sure this is also an old lost instinct. Fun to watch.

[Madelaine Amee]

Last night my tiny ball of fluff that I am caring for decided to eat at 10:30pm, ate everything in the bowl and then came and sat at my feet - as much as to say "how d'you like that"! This morning I found out she really, really, likes Fage yoghurt.

It's really odd that it is the very tiny dogs that are prone to this behavior.

[Cedwards38]

Hey, I often pluck my food plate up from the table and go sit in front of the television to eat it. I guess that's probably not the same thing though, huh?

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Cedwards38

Hey, I often pluck my food plate up from the table and go sit in front of the television to eat it. I guess that's probably not the same thing though, huh?

Are you worried about the rest of the family getting to it first?

[marianne237]

Could be worse. A friend back north went to move an old couch and a whole lot of kibble fell out of it when lifted. Seems her pup was storing it in the cracks and folds of the couch.