This new behavior is driving me nuts!

[Olly-Bears Mama 0]

My sweet little cuddly-bug Oliver is such a freaking brat! And he's getting worse. I swear they are like human siblings always looking to antagonize the other.

So his new behavior happens at mealtime. Every single meal time.

I feed Merphy and Oliver in the sink part of the bathroom. Merphy's water bowl is in there (he won't drink from the water bottle), and their two food dishes. They each have their own placemat thing that their bowl sits on top of. I put about half a cup of food in each of their bowls, once in the morning, once at night.

Merphy goes in immediately and scarfs his down. I don't even think he tastes it, he certainly doesn't chew. Then he'll drink some water.

Oliver, on the other hand, will lay at the edge of the doorway, watching his brother eat, while keeping his bowl in the corner of his eye. He won't eat.....UNTIL Merphy takes a step toward his bowl to consume Oliver's food as well. THEN, Oliver will jump up and run over and take ONE little morsel, and will stand over his bowl chewing, all the while staring at Merphy as if he's saying "mmmMMMMmmmm, this is SOOOOOOO good, don't you wish you had some????" This takes FOREVER!

Eventually, Oliver will start eating a little faster, but every once in a while, he'll stop, run over and rub up against Merphy, then dart back to his food. Or, if Merphy stops watching him, he'll go over and lay in the hallway again, and thus repeat the cycle. If Merphy leaves the area, Oliver won't eat.

I talked to a trainer, who said to feed them separately, but allow the other one to see the one who's eating, so use a baby gate to separate them. Didn't work.

The other day, I was in a hurry to get to my Grandpa's funeral and had no patience for the game, so I did what I would normally never do, and put Oliver and his food in his crate, and left. I returned that evening, and he hadn't touched his food.

Its so freaking annoying! I've considered just letting Merphy eat his food once, but Merphy doesn't NEED any more food. I have to keep him on a strict amount of food, or he gets fat. I've done the whole taking his food away after 20 minutes, it doesn't work. He still does the same thing next time.

Anyone have any ideas on how to remedy this? I am losing my patience. I was hoping it was just a phase, but its been going on for over a month now, and it only seems to be getting worse.

[GizmoHappyKitty 1]

Gizmo does this with his treats. He waits for the girls to eat their's first so then he can eat his in front of them while they just watch him eat. When he tried this with his food, i just took his dish away. After 1 1/2 days with no food, he finally ate the next time his food went down in front of him.

Michele and the pups

[borzoimom 24]

I would suggest you put them out of sight of each other. This has obviously become a game. " MIne mine mine..." I would not suggest letting the other one see- ie seperate the events. Additionally allowing 20 minutes then pick up the food but not while the other is in the room or having them met up so they do not associate each other with the food pick up.

Edited May 16, 2009 by borzoimom

[chloechanel'smommy 2]

That is too funny. I would also suggest feeding them separate.

[Olly-Bears Mama 0]

Well, I've tried it for three feedings now. I feed Merphy in the bathroom, and Oliver in his crate in my bedroom. He gets 20 minutes and that's it.

Feeding 1: Oliver ate a few bites, then laid down. I put his food back in the container after 20 minutes and let them both out of their areas.

Feeding 2: Oliver again ate a few minutes, but I messed up and let Merphy out of the bathroom before taking Oliver's food. Merphy ran to Oliver's crate, so Oliver began eating. It was 20 minutes, so I took his food and put it back in the container.

Feeding 3: Oliver didn't want to go in his crate, so I put him in there....he ate ALL of his food in five minutes.

I'm going to continue this for a week or so...but then should I go back to feeding them in the same room? That's what I prefer. Or should I feed them like this forever?

[Cackle 144]

You'll just have to do what works best for you. I feed mine both at the same time and in the same room. I put Mitsi's food down first because she eats slower and also because she's the older one ( dunno what that has to do with it, it just feels right LOL) when she gets started eating I put Molly's down. Molly fangs hers down and if I don't watch her she will eat Mitsi's as well. So I stand and watch, when they are done, they swap and lick each others bowls out!

If I were you, I'd feed Oliver first, let him get started, then feed Murphy. If Oliver is mucking about and Murphy is done, tell Oliver to eat up, give him a chance and if he doesn't, take the bowl away. Repeat for the next feed. He'll get the idea, eat it or dip out!

[borzoimom 24]

My dogs eat in different rooms. For us it works better because one is not going to gulp down the food and they can take their time to eat it.