Dog Dropping Food On The Floor

Use within six weeks of opening the food bag.

Dog dropping food on the floor.

If your dog previously ate from his bowl then it sounds as though he has made a negative association that has put him off doing so now. She takes a few pieces of kibble from her bowl carries it a few feet away drops it on the floor and then eats it piece by piece with painstaking slowness. It s fun for babies and toddlers to drop or throw food on the floor. When dogs in the wild make a kill the outranked animals drag pieces of food away so they don t have to fight the leader or a more dominant canine for it says dr.

She is also a former veterinarian assistant and author of the popular online dog training course brain training for dogs her work has appeared in several print and online publications including e how usa today every dog magazine daily puppy and connecticut dog magazine. If the food is moldy or rancid your dog will not want to eat it and may leave it on the floor. It may be even more exciting if there s a dog there to eat it up. Don t let her though or else she ll associate the floor with food which only encourages her to keep up her odd little habit.

They are actually learning that they can make something happen. Before dogs were domesticated they often ran in packs. Their way of communicating once they learn they can drop food it isn t long before they realize that they can throw food off their high. The more subordinate pack members would carry food away to hide it from other members of the pack.

Your dog wants to protect or hide the food. Give your dog treats directly never by dropping them on the floor. While this seems counter intuitive to preventing floor mess it may have the opposite effect focusing his mind at meal times so that he can eat in one place and doesn t miss eating any of his food. Behaviourist claire arrowsmith says.

That s the average time from when i drop food on the floor until the dog has finished eating it there is not a swarm of bacteria lying on the ground waiting to pounce on any food that comes. The answer to this propensity lies in two words. It reminds me of the way chickadees eat from birdfeeders taking one item from the feeder and flying to a nearby. She can spend hours polishing off a couple of cups of dry dog food.

Toss bad dog food out. Tip 6 make sure the food hasn t gone bad. Some dogs particularly those in multi dog households may carry their food away as a way to keep it to themselves. Physically divide your dog s chow into a few piles which he can hunt down.

If food touches the floor odds are your dog is going to make a move for it. Adrienne farricelli is a certified dog trainer and behavior consultant. Keep your dog food in the original bag and place it inside an airtight food bin to keep it fresh. Why will my dog eat his food off the floor but not from a bowl.

You need to rule out pain and discomfort so check his teeth are in good condition and that he isn t having difficulty bending or leaning into the bowl.