Mealtime Epiphany - Update

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Since the age of 6 months, Lucy has been the sort to go through fits and starts with her eating habits. I do believe she is hungry most mealtimes, but she just doesn't always eat. We recently switched to Fromms dry and canned and as always she had the initial interest and robust eating in the beginning. But, also, as always, she lost interest after a week or so. Well, this morning Lucy was obviously hungry. She'd not eaten the night before and was waiting patiently for her breakfast. I mixed her food, laid it down, and Lucy sniffed it and turned away. She laid in the middle of the kitchen with her eyes following my every move, as if to say, 'Mom, I'm hungry... FEED ME!' I don't know what made me think of this, but I picked up her food dish and moved it to the other end of the kitchen. Kerr-plunk! Lucy went to it immediately and started eating! And continued till the bowl was clean. Tonight, same thing. I mixed her food and put it in her usual spot, and she just turned away. Then I picked it up and moved it to the end of the island and she ate heartily until it was gone. Coincidence? I don't think so.

 

UPDATE: Next morning... Well, this morning, all bets were off! Lucy refused to eat until I moved her dish BACK to her old spot, then she finished the bowl! I don't know what's going on with her. In her mind it must be some kind of game.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Doodles have the strangest rituals.  My guys "decide" where they want to eat, and it can change meal to meal.  Guinness would actually prefer to eat in the dining room, but I do draw the line at that.  They go and sit down (or lie down) where they want to eat, and I bring the dish to them.  For Murphy that's usually in the foyer.  He likes to take the food from his dish (piece by piece) and bring it to the rug by the door where he then eats it.  Guinness usually (but not always) wants the dish right by his bed in the kitchen.  He'll eat part of his meal lying in the bed.  If I don't put their dish where they have "shown" me that they want it, they will just wait in their place until I do.  They do know they have to "sit" before they get their meal, but they get to pick the spot.  It's just bizarre.  What ever happened to just putting the food down and having the dogs come running.  Nope, not in our house.  So, your Lucy is just being a Doodle!

[diane silver]

I had the same issue with Emma, I'd put her food down, she'd go over to it, sniff it, and walk away.  Then my 90-year-old mother said, "Maybe you should put it into a different plate," and sure enough, if I put her food on a paper plate in the kitchen, rather than in the family room where her dishes are, she'll eat, especially in the morning!  They really are funny little creatures!