Why must I watch him?!

[TwowaystoUrmston]

Ddog1 (9yo SBT) has always been fussy with food, especially breakfast, I just don't think he's a morning person So there's always been some persuasion involved to get him to eat, sometimes at teatime too (I feed them twice a day) but mainly at breakfast.

But lately it's on a new level, he literally will not eat unless I'm standing right next to him watching him! He's been to the vets recently and had a good check over (including teeth) and nothing seems to be physically amiss, he's also not exhibiting any of the signs of being in pain you might usually expect if it was teeth or something digestive.

He's had no bad experiences around where he eats, nothing's fallen on him or anything that may have put him off, he just seems reluctant to start eating and then spends the whole time he is eating checking I'm still next to him and will stop and wander off if I dare to move.

It could be that he's 'gone off' his food but it took me forever to find something he would eat which didn't upset his stomach so I'm really reluctant to change it at this point. And he will eat it eventually, it just takes lots of encouragement and my total attention while he does!

Anyone have any theories or suggestions? It just feels like attention seeking (and he is a big baby) and is a bit stressful if I'm in a hurry but I'm mainly concerned I/vet might be missing something obvious. He seems fine otherwise, no other behavioural changes, toileting all normal etc so I'm a bit baffled

It could be attention seeking. They’re not daft. It could be that he’s losing his marbles slightly now he’s getting older, and there may be an actual reason why he’s scared to eat alone which obviously he can’t tell you about. How long will he go without actually eating if you’re not looking? It’s doubtful he’ll starve himself

Someone told me when they are eating and pooing they feel they are at their most vulnerable so will often look to check you are watching them. My DDog doesn't do it with eating although he will leave his food if one of the cats approaches but he definitely won't poo unless I am watching him.

No idea. My 7yo (ish) Romanian rescue will currently only eat if I'm safely ensconced in the kitchen or sitting on the sofa. If I'm anywhere else (open plan ground floor), she'll stare then go to bed. It's causing issues because the other dog will eat it if we try to walk away and leave the Rommie to eat. 🙄

God aren't they weird! He will leave his breakfast completely if I leave him to it Ihatethenewlook but will then reliably eat his tea. I don't have to watch him at teatime, he sometimes needs a bit of verbal encouragement (I stand there like an idiot telling him 'go on then' and 'good boy' til he gets started) but once he gets going I can leave him to it and he always eats the lot.

Yes we have that issue too GetOffTheRoof, Ddog2 is on long term steroids for a skin condition so we have to really watch her weight and she's like a food-seeking missile, I have to watch her like a hawk til I'm 100% sure Ddog1 isn't going to eat it and I eventually throw it away.

The only time FiL's dog eats ids when he (dog not FiL), has his lead on and just about to go for a walk. He has to clear the bowl before he steps foot outside the house. The dog is a rescue so we have no idea what the reasoning is behind it.

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This is interesting. Do you feed your dogs together in the same room by any chance?

One of my old dogs started doing this and I couldn’t for the life of me work out why.

We eventually worked out that our other dog (who was a notorious glutton) was giving him ‘the eye’ while he was eating, essentially intimidating him so he would walk away from his bowl. I only realised when I gave them both a kong stuffed with sardines watched as he walked away and left that too, then just stood in the corner while our other dog nicked it. They were fed in the same room, but at opposite ends, rather than alongside each other.

We started feeding them in separate rooms and the problem resolved literally overnight.

Maybe just feels more secure with you there or not particularly hungry and appeasing you.

My piggy dog gradually became more picky rather than scoffing down the lot in 5 seconds and I wrongly assumed it maybe as she no longer had competition as was still eating enough and fine in herself but a later blood test showed had kidney disease so was more likely down to feeling bit nauseous, can't really pick kidney problem up on tests until 75% function has already been lost unfortunately. She often doesn't feel like breakfast, prefers to leave to eat later in day and hungrier at night now. I also didn't realise a lip licking/swallowing was a sign of acid reflux which also tends to happen more in morning when she's not had midnight munchies.

Is your house more chaotic in the morning by any chance?

My sister's cat AND dog both do this, haha. But moreso in the mornings - when both of the two pets are around, kids are up and about, more movement and stuff going on, more of a rushed/stressful feeling, etc.

The opposite actually dustofneptune, there's only me here in the mornings and I'm rarely in a hurry first thing. By teatime DH and DD will be around and he generally eats fine even with people in and out. They eat in separate rooms out of view of each other Impossiblepossibilities, we had a food aggressive GSD when I was growing up so I've never risked feeding together. Both great suggestions though, exactly why I posted in case someone came up with something I hadn't thought of.

Your reply is more concerning ScattyHattie, he's had a general check over at the vets but no bloods or anything as yet. I'm not seeing any lip licking or swallowing although he does seem reluctant to approach his bowl and will sniff and then turn away as though the smell turns his stomach. Is it worth asking for blood tests at this stage do you think?

Come to think of it he did go through a phase like this years ago when he was young, I was under more pressure to get out in a morning back then and ended up giving him rice crispies for a few months just so he wasn't going hungry all day. Obviously not the best nutritionally and I'm not sure his stomach would tolerate it now anyway, it has genuinely taken years to find a dog food which doesn't upset his stomach and he's got more sensitive as he's got older.