minx
Newbie
Posts: 9
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Post by minx on Jul 4, 2014 5:04:11 GMT -5
I'm not sure if that has already been covered - in a quick search I didn't see anything.
We adopted Azriel (Barricade) about 3 weeks ago now, he's settling in pretty well - but I'm stuck with how to deal with this particular issue. We have another dog - Lola (the bulldog) and we feed them at the same time, but Lola has always been a bit of a grazer, and sometimes wanders away then goes back to her food dish. Azriel will finish his food before her, and watch her eat. If she walks away, he will go after her leftovers. Every single meal.
We watch them eat every meal, and when I see him looking at her, her food, or trying to eat it, I correct him with "ah ah" (like we learned in dog training classes with Lola) and he'll walk away. But, this happens at every single meal, and he still tries to eat her food. Other instances where I've corrected him, he's learned quickly and doesn't try it after 2-3 corrections. But, with food - he's just not getting it!
Any suggestions?
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Post by greyandred on Jul 4, 2014 6:31:17 GMT -5
Hi, we had a similar issue with Owen. He eats very quickly, but our other dog Seamus likes to graze. What we did was to allow Seamus ample time to eat his meals, and then we put his dish away. It only took 2-3 times for Seamus to learn to eat all his food when it's offered. We are still working on Owen's manners, as he still wants to run over to Seamus' dish while Seamus is eating, and we need to correct that behaviour, but Seamus is probably better off now as he is eating more regular meals and both dogs are in the same routine.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2014 18:19:28 GMT -5
Hi, we had a similar issue with Owen. He eats very quickly, but our other dog Seamus likes to graze. What we did was to allow Seamus ample time to eat his meals, and then we put his dish away. It only took 2-3 times for Seamus to learn to eat all his food when it's offered. We are still working on Owen's manners, as he still wants to run over to Seamus' dish while Seamus is eating, and we need to correct that behaviour, but Seamus is probably better off now as he is eating more regular meals and both dogs are in the same routine. PERFECT! you took the words out of my mouth. the only other thing that I could suggest, which I have done, is to tether Lola to a kitchen cupboard handle out of mouths reach from the others dog dish. Lola will learn very quickly the new routine and if you do what is posted above, she will think, nuts, I better eat up NOW!
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minx
Newbie
Posts: 9
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Post by minx on Jul 5, 2014 10:48:14 GMT -5
I appreciate the input, but the solution I'm really looking for is how to curb Azriel's fixation on Lola's food. Although he's been corrected twice a day every day, he's just not learning. Yet in other situations, he is very responsive and has learned a great deal about acceptable behaviour in the house. I'd love to hear if anyone has suggestions on how they might have dealt with that issue.
Last year, we had a second dog living with us, and we were easily able to train both of them to not eat out of the other's dish. That's what I'd like to acheive with Azriel.
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Post by mjgrey on Jul 5, 2014 19:47:23 GMT -5
I'll be watching this post....... Our new guy Blue is food obsessed as well, and we feed him in his crate so that Mercury (our slow picky eater) has time to finish his own meal. I'd like to be able to feed them at the same time outside of the crate at some point, but I'm pretty sure I have no idea how to even start this. I do have a huge fear of dog fights, even though the boys seem to be getting along very well so far.
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Post by angelollie on Jul 5, 2014 20:28:45 GMT -5
mjgrey, don't forget that Blue was fed his meals in his kennel at the track so this is something he is used to. With Blue being so new, I would continue on with your schedule that is working for you now .... maybe in time as Blue gets completely settled in and relaxes more, you might be able to start feeding him outside his kennel. Always supervise when there is food involved. For now though, I would continue with what you are doing.
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Post by mjgrey on Jul 5, 2014 20:52:24 GMT -5
mjgrey, don't forget that Blue was fed his meals in his kennel at the track so this is something he is used to. With Blue being so new, I would continue on with your schedule that is working for you now .... maybe in time as Blue gets completely settled in and relaxes more, you might be able to start feeding him outside his kennel. Always supervise when there is food involved. For now though, I would continue with what you are doing. Thanks! I agree that there is no rush to change the feeding arrangements yet! Blue eats stuff that isn't food, so I have a feeling the crate will be sticking around for a good long time anyways, for his own safety and my sanity.
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Dexter
Newbie
the rubber backing just kept them from slipping
Posts: 19
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Post by Dexter on Jul 8, 2014 16:05:48 GMT -5
Since u mentioned that your grey chews things I was wondering if he also lines up shoes? The only thing dexter chews up is blankets (all blankets that hit the floor, with the exception of our son's blankie, are shredded), body puffs are shredded, and he got ahold of his documentation that Heather gave us when we adopted him and ripped it all apart, but that's it for "destructive" behaviour. He does have this one odd quirk, he lines up all left shoes on the couch. I took him to work with me on a midnight shift and he did the same thing. He lined up the left shoes from all the residents on the back of the couch in the common room. It's as if he has OCD. Is this a grey thing or just a Dexter thing?
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Post by celine87 on Jul 8, 2014 17:13:31 GMT -5
My Greys will not line up shoes per say but will hoard them once in a while. I once came home to a variety of shoes (sandals, boots, running shoes, etc.) on Callie's Pillow. Some time last week when I got home I found one of my winter boots in the middle of the hall way. The boot was in a closet, so who ever did that had to go in the closet grab the boot and then bring it all the way in the hall and drop it. Not too sure why they do certain things but it's pretty funny
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Post by mjgrey on Jul 8, 2014 19:28:03 GMT -5
Thankfully both dogs have always left mama's shoes alone.... Smart boys . Blue, the new kid, will pick up and sample almost anything that is 'out of place' on the floor. On walks he tends to go for plastic items, but is easily correctable. We have/had a basket of outdoor toys for the human kids but Blue kept helping himself from it and I didn't want him to grab something dangerous or valuable. Mercury on the other hand...... Has one stuffy that we throw to him during zoomie time, and other than that he ignores everything. They are all so different!
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Dexter
Newbie
the rubber backing just kept them from slipping
Posts: 19
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Post by Dexter on Jul 11, 2014 13:46:32 GMT -5
Yeah, I think Dexter is just a little obsessive compulsive and has a thing for the left shoe. He doesn't chew any of the shoes. Sometimes he hordes all the left shoes in his crate but mostly he lines them up on the back of the couch. Then gets all startled and scared if he jumps down form the couch and a shoe falls. He is just our quirky, loveable, nutty grey. He got mad at his bed last night because he was trying to pull it from the master bedroom to the bathroom (where I was taking a soak in the tub) and the bed was stuck on the door jam. He yanked and yanked, then "barked" at the bed (like he was telling it off) and then looked at me and whined. I was laughing so hard. I had to get out of the tub and help him with his bed. Then he was very happy. He is so funny, I could go on endlessly about how special he is, as I am sure you all could do with your grey babies.
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quietstorm
Hound Nut
Officially at Capacity!
Posts: 1,593
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Post by quietstorm on Jul 13, 2014 10:34:58 GMT -5
first of all - great names for the hounds!!! Azriel and Seamus - cool! I agree with the first posters - you probably won't ever get Azriel to stop stealing the food. It's food, it's there, and he's a dog. Lola needs to eat at eating time and if not, then either the food is fair game for Azriel, or the dish goes up. All of my dogs would guard their food if they were still eating it, and nobody would go near the other's dish if someone was still working on it - and they all learned that the hard way (food fight). But every one of my dogs would steal from an unattended bowl, and they all also know that an unattended bowl is fair game. In fact, if Ranger sees Force leave his dish (Force takes his bones down to the yard to eat), he will stop what he's working on from his own bowl, go check Force's bowl for food, and then go back to his bowl before Force comes back up on the deck.
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Post by celine87 on Jul 13, 2014 17:33:15 GMT -5
Every animal in this house eats twice a day (7am and 5pm) and they all get a snack later at night. They are all on a routine and know where to eat. The cat goes to her bowl and both dogs will eat out of their own bowls. However if I do not watch them they will sometimes go eat out of another bowl. I give them about 5 minutes to eat (they are both usually done way faster then that), after this I take the bowls away even if someone is not done. I have to keep an eye on the cat since the dogs will go eat it if possible. I don't see anything wrong with giving a time line for the dogs to eat. They will learn quickly that when food is there it's time to eat.
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