[lizandhec]

Our little 5 month pup has decided that she does not want to eat out of her food bowl. She will gladly eat from our hands or sometimes a plate, but will not eat out of her bowl. This just started about a week ago. To get her to eat we will sometimes just put her food in our hand and she will just devour the food. Any ideas why this would be? Is it a stage? Any suggestions on how to get her to eat from her bowl? We are at a loss and just don't know what gives??

 

[cinnamonteal]

My training instructor actually recommends hand feeding all puppies. She feels that it teaches the pup to look to you for all good things. Another behaviorist I know believes that dogs should work for their food rather than eating from a bowl, either earning it through training exercises or from a food dispensing toy.

That aside, maybe the sound of her tags hitting the bowl scares her? Or maybe she doesn't like her current brand of food? I dunno, but I bet if you left the food down and didn't hand feed her, she would eat eventually. Unless there's a medical problem, she'll eat when she's hungry enough.

 

[Willow52]

...That aside, maybe the sound of her tags hitting the bowl scares her? Or maybe she doesn't like her current brand of food? I dunno, but I bet if you left the food down and didn't hand feed her, she would eat eventually. Unless there's a medical problem, she'll eat when she's hungry enough.

That's what I'm thinking. Other than the possibility of the tag's sound scaring her, I think you're being played. Honestly I don't have time to hand feed my puppy 3 meals/day. It reminds me of when our granddaughter went through a phase of taking waaaaayyy to long to decide what color fork/spoon she wanted to use. Whatever color was set at the table wasn't right. I thought it would be fun to teach her colors using a pack of different colored forks/spoons. :doh: Finally they all went in the trash and now she has one choice...stainless.

 

[hotel4dogs]

I sure wouldn't encourage that behavior! Try a different bowl, and if it's not that, then don't encourage her to eat by hand feeding her. If she's hungry, she'll eat. Put the food down, leave it about 15 minutes, then pick it back up and don't offer it again until the next meal time.
Dogs don't starve themselves, and picky eating is learned behavior.

 

[Pointgold]

I sure wouldn't encourage that behavior! Try a different bowl, and if it's not that, then don't encourage her to eat by hand feeding her. If she's hungry, she'll eat. Put the food down, leave it about 15 minutes, then pick it back up and don't offer it again until the next meal time.
Dogs don't starve themselves, and picky eating is learned behavior.

I absolutely ditto this! Hand feed a apecial TREAT, but not regular feedings.

 

[lizandhec]

Thank you all for your input. We have since stopped feeding her with our hands and put her food down for a limited time. She has learned that if she doesn't eat then, she doesn't eat. Thank you for helping me problem solve!!

 

[hotel4dogs]

and good for you for not giving in to her!
Good luck with your pup, post photos when you have a chance.

Thank you all for your input. We have since stopped feeding her with our hands and put her food down for a limited time. She has learned that if she doesn't eat then, she doesn't eat. Thank you for helping me problem solve!!

 

[MorningGlory]

I sure wouldn't encourage that behavior! Try a different bowl, and if it's not that, then don't encourage her to eat by hand feeding her. If she's hungry, she'll eat. Put the food down, leave it about 15 minutes, then pick it back up and don't offer it again until the next meal time.
Dogs don't starve themselves, and picky eating is learned behavior.

This newbie seconds this advice.