Not eating from her bowl

[Hyperfish101]

I realise it’s early days but the rescue dog came home today and she’s fine. Except she won’t eat from her bowl. She takes a piece of food then takes it to her bed to eat. I don’t really mind, it’s probably whatbshes used to but will quickly get a bit messy. Any advice to get her to use the bowl?

[therapydrama]

Mine did this forever - to be honest, she only stopped when we got another dog so more competition. She would eat wet food from a bowl though as too hard to keep in your mouth to take to the bed!

My parents dog does this also and is a pedigree. I'd say it's just a dog quirk!

[PollyPolson]

Put the bowl in her bed

[Ohffs66]

Oh bless her. They usually take food away to eat if it has really high value to them so maybe she wasn't fed properly before and is worried it'll be taken from her? I'm sure it will settle down.

[Goslowlysideways]

Mine took 4 years to be comfortable eating from her bowl. We would put her food on the floor..! She is okay now. But still only drinks water out of her bowl at home. Never a bowl when she is out. She won’t even drink out of her bowl if we take it out with us!

[Hyperfish101]

Dogs are quirky little sods aren’ t they?, 😂

[Iminaglasscaseofemotion]

My gran and papas dog would only eat her dinner off the floor. They gave up putting in a bowl eventually and just out it on the floor for her 🤢

[therapydrama]

I have two rescues and the one that was badly abused eats out her bowl fine. The puppy who has been in luxury is the fussy sod

[StillMedusa]

Mine's the same.. hates food in a bowl. Mostly I tip bits on to the kitchen foor and then go over with a wipe afterwards!

[Whoknowswhocares]

Sometimes they don’t like a metal bowl because of the reflection or the noise a bowl makes if on a hard floor. Or their tag is banging against it. Try a different type of bowl.
But I agree with the suggestion to put the bowl very near the bed and give her plenty of space to eat in peace while she gets used to the new surroundings. She will most likely stop once she feels more confident

[AuntyPasta]

One of mine ate off a dinner plate for a while. I could say it was a melamine one, but it wasn’t. I did keep it separated from the other plates. Whatever works for them and you. If she wants to eat that way have you got an old towel you can toss over her bed at meal times?

[pigsDOfly]

My dog won't eat out of a metal bowl, although, she's happy to drink out of one, and she won't eat with her collar on as the tag taps on the bowl.

She has one bowl that she's happy with. God knows what I'll do if it ever gets broken.

[PharmaLlama]

I’ve never even given mine a bowl, she either eats out of a Kong or puzzle feeder, or I scatter feed, or Snuffle mat, or the kibble is used up training and playing games.

[CarrieMoonbeams]

My friend's rescued dog did that too.

Her dog had been living on the streets for a while though, and I think he felt uncomfortable with the location of his bowl - it was in the corner of the kitchen. He had his back to the room then so he couldn't see if there was anyone behind him.

She moved his bowl to beside his bed for the first few weeks, then eventually moved it back to the kitchen (but in a different spot) when he was settled in.

[Hyperfish101]

Some gods suggestions. Thanks.

[Hyperfish101]

Sorry, good

[Sostenueto]

Thank goodness I aren't the only one with a dog that won't eat out of a bowl!

[Pinkywoo]

My lurcher used to take a mouthful of food from his bowl, turn round and spit it on the rug, then eat each bit separately. Needless to say when he died I bought a new rug!

[mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork]

I've had my dog 3 years. She ate out of the bowl at first, I think, but she much prefers to remove most of the food, piece by piece, and take it off to one of her beds or the living room carpet so she can eat in company (even though her feeding station is within sight of me in the living room). I've given up trying to make her eat in one place.

[drinkingwineoutofamug]

I had to teach my girl to eat out of a bowl. 18 months later all's good but she would rather drink puddle water than fresh in a bowl 🙄