Is it Weird That My Dog Eats Like This?

Dogs have extremely strange behavior and it can be hard for us to explain. Most of our four-legged family members eating habits come from their ancestors and it’s easy for us to say that it’s just in their nature. In the past, dogs have had to fight for their food and/or hide it from their pack leader. This could be one reason why some of them are so territorial over their meals. Some dogs refuse to eat out their dish, some won’t eat at all and others devour the most disturbing things. Is this behavior normal or even healthy? Below is a list of the weird ways your dog may chow down and why they enjoy it.

Removing their food from the bowl and re-locating

• Your dog could be irritated by the sound of their food moving around in their metal bowl. Fido may also be annoyed from the clanking sound of their tag when it hits the dish so they take a mouthful and move elsewhere.
• We mentioned previously that dogs are very territorial of their food and this very well may be the case. Even though no one in your house shows any sign of stealing their food away it will still be in their instincts to move to another destination.
• Your pup may have anxiety about people watching him eat. Try moving his bowl to a more secluded area where he can devour his meal in peace.

Playing with their food

• This could be another sign of them mimicking their past ancestors. In the past, canines would play around with their prey before hunting them. It was a mental game they had to play in order to succeed with their kill.
• Make sure your dog is getting plenty of exercise and playtime because when they play with their food it could mean boredom.

Eating Poop

• We all think that this is a disgusting behavior that might harm our dogs. If your dog does this there is nothing wrong with him. It is actually in their nature to eat stool because in the past they lived off of whatever they could find. Mothers would often eat their pups stool to clean up and hide them from predators.
• Dogs are very intelligent and if they notice you disposing their waste they will try to help out by getting rid of it for you.
• He could be eating stool because he isn’t getting enough nutrients in his body. If you notice your dog doing this you should take him to a veterinarian just to make sure it isn’t part of a health issue.
• If you have multiple dogs in your house, the more submissive dog will eat the stool of the more dominant dog.

We hope these tips help answer your questions. If you are worried about your dog having anxiety or behavioral problems around the house check out the link provided to see the services we offer here at Sit Means sit.