GSD : bizzare eating behaviour

Our 5 month old German Shepherd bitch is displaying a very odd behaviour when we feed her. She refuses to eat on her own either outside or in the kitchen but when we place her feeding bowl in the living room where we're all sat she will eat.

However the odd behaviour does not end there, we feed her using a dried meal and she eats it by taking a mouthful, moves away from her bowl, drops it on the carpet then eats it.

We've never had a dog which has behaved this way before. Has anyone else had a puppy displaying this kind of behaviour, if so how did you correct it to allow the dog to eat "normally".

It is quite common for some dogs not to want to eat on their own, most prefer to have their owners nearby or in sight. Guess it is all part of the pack-mentality kicking in - I guess in the wild they hunt in packs and all eat together so prefer it that way. It is important that she learns to eat on her own though.

Will she eat in the kitchen if you are in the same room? I wouldn't get into the habit of feeding her in the living room just to get her to eat.

What is your normal routine when you feed her? Do you put the bowl down and shut her in on her own? Have you tried to distance yourself gradually whilst she is eating and praising her when she still eats?

If you are just leaving her and walking out whilst you all eat your supper it is natural she will wish to follow you. As far as she is concerened her pack have left and that is more important to her than eating food.

German Shepherds are notorious for sticking like glue to their owners and hate being separated, mine were the same that way. I would go back to feeding her in the kitchen and either stand in the corner of the room but not give her too much attention or busy yourself with making a cup of tea or preparing lunch etc. If she starts eating quietly say good girl and then let her carry on, don't pat her,just verbal praise. Whatever you do don't start coaxing her to the dish with bits of kibble in your hands as you'll end up with a dog that wants hand fed!

Try and do this then increase the distance you are away from her until she is happy to eat by herself. Hope it works.

Two dogs I've owned previously always used to take food out of their bowls and eat it off the floor exactly the same way, don't know why they do that! Marius doesn't he just scoffs away.

Luca still does takes bits of her food away and eats it in private. It doesn't happen often, but it's something she's always done.

Try moving her bowl, a bit at a time, towards the kitchen, but stay with her until she finishes her dinner. She may be feeling a bit isolated when she's in the kitchen on her own.

Glad to hear that there's nothing too strange about her not eating directly from her bowl.

It's a bit wierd the problem that she won't eat by herself, up until a week or so ago she had no problem whatsoever but now she point blank refuses to do so.

We've tried putting her bowl down either outside or in the kitchen and leaving her with it, but she won't eat her meal. We also tried feeding her whilst one of us was doing something in the kitchen but again she refuses.

At the minute it seems a bit of a funny problem that needs a solution puzzling out.

Can you think of anything that has stopped her from doing it, if she was happy eating on her own before?

Nothing fell on her/frightened her in the last week or so? Something must have happened to make her feel insecure now:smt017

Has there been anything that's happened in the kitchen that's caused her to wig out? (scare her)

If there's not been anything obvious that's caused her reluctance to eat in the kitchen, the only other thing I can suggest is offer her her meal, give her 10-15 mins to see if she'll eat it, then take it up and offer it to her at her next meal time. She'll soon get the idea that she eats in the kitchen, or does without.

The other thing I'm thinking of is she may not genuinly like the food, but you say that she'll eat it in the living room with you

She may just be pushing her luck.

Max prefers to eat his food off the floor

He will eat about half from the bowl, and then "play" with the rest by dropping it on the kitchen floor and eating it, or throwing it in the air and chasing it (Luckily, he has dry food...)

I've given up trying to stop him doing this, to be honest.
When he has finished eating, I'll clear up anything he's left on the floor, so he doesn't have any "snacks" for later.

Also, I often stand in the kitchen while Max eats. Usually, within the first few mouthfuls he'll look to check I'm there; and then I can leave him.

Maybe if you stay with your pup for a while, and gradually inch towards the gate/door (over a week or so) she won't be so nervous of eating on her own.

Dogs always have a reason for doing something - to them, it doesn't always make sense to us!

I'd agree with seeing if she will eat whilst you are in the kitchen just pootling about. Ensure the food is tasty. I do feel so sorry for dogs fed the most boring food just because it's supposed to be good - dogs don't have a palate quite like we do but they can tell the difference between cardboard and something tastier.

I'd try something extra tasty to try her eating in the kitchen again, just to get her into that habit. Youngsters will often go through funny phases, maybe she just forgetse to eat her dinner in there if you move out of the kitchen, as she is intent on following you.

Ensure you teach her "alone time" is pleasant, with stuffed kongs etc ...

Just a few thoughts

Wys
x

Hi

Our GSD is a very messy eater, she gets a mouth full of food and she moves it all around her mouth it all falls out of the side of her mouth and there is one bit of kibble left in her mouth to eat
she doesnt pick it up off the floor though she just leaves it.

Hi there,

Just thought I'd give you an update on how our pup is doing after all your helpful advice.

We tried feeding her again in the kitchen last night, I just pottered around in there whilst she ate and gave her words of encouragement like you advised.

It worked, she ate all her meal in the kitchen. Of course she still ate some of it from the floor but I'm not bothered about that really at least she's started eating outside of the living room.