How do I stop my dog from eating each other's food?
Lori Thompson
2025-07-03 04:50:40
Count answers
: 6
All dogs that stay at my house, regardless of their feeding pattern at home, get scheduled meals. For the 9 days that Milo stays with you, I would have Baby eat on a schedule as well. Assuming you feed Milo at, say, 7am and 6pm, you will also feed Baby at those times. Estimate how much food Baby generally eats in a 24 hour period (or check the package for correct feeding amounts) and divide in half. Give her 10 minutes or so to eat at mealtime. Keep whatever s/he doesn't eat in the morning and add to the evening feeding.
Most dogs are going to eat your dog's food if it is left out. When I host dogs who are used to free feeding, I give them about 15 minutes to eat their food, with me watching, and if they don't, then I pick it up and will try again later. I agree with pulling your dog's food so the Rover dog can't get it. I add a Tbsp of plain yogurt, cottage cheese or chicken broth to her food now so she'll it it right away.
Margarett Hessel
2025-06-23 20:43:39
Count answers
: 9
Plan Different Meal Times. Pets get accustomed to feeding times, so use that to your advantage and feed one pet at a specific time each day and the other at another time. It’s still best, however, to monitor each feeding time to ensure that your pets aren’t stealing each other’s food, which might not always be possible based on your schedule. Feed Pets in Different Rooms. If your dog is starting to get jealous of your cat’s feeding time, an alternative to the above option is to feed each pet at the same time but in different rooms. This might also help keep your pup’s curiosity at bay and deter them from interfering with your cat’s meal. Keep Your Cat’s Food Out of Reach...Literally! Try keeping cat bowls on top of counters or in their cat tree. Use a Microchip Feeder. Out of all the above options, the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is one of the most convenient and surefire ways to stop your dog stealing cat food. Microchip feeders are perfect for multi-pet homes because they synch with a pet’s microchip and will only allow that specific pet to access the sealed food bowl.
Oscar Hammes
2025-06-21 09:59:06
Count answers
: 10
I’ve tried scolding her when I see her go towards Veronica’s eating area but nothing I’ve tried is working.
She’s pretty tall so she can reach almost any counter in the entire house.
My dog keeps stealing the other dog’s food if we aren’t keeping a tight eye on her.
Tommy does act like she’s in trouble when we bust her stealing but I can’t figure out how to deter her from sniffing out the special liver food.
Any ideas on how to prevent her from getting into the other dog’s food??
Raymundo Padberg
2025-06-13 07:19:28
Count answers
: 6
To create and maintain healthy habits and relationships between pets, make sure they eat separately. Don't allow dogs to share bowls at mealtime, and create different locations in your home where you feed each one so that they don't feel like they need to scarf or protect the food. If one dog doesn't finish a meal, pick up their bowl and don't let another dog finish the other dog's food. The easiest way to resolve conflict between pets at mealtime is to prevent it from happening. You can do this by making sure your dogs aren’t in positions where they feel like they need to compete for valuable resources, which can lead to tension between pets and even fights. Don't allow your dogs to approach one another while they are eating. Dogs who have unknown histories together, or who have a history of resource guarding or conflict over high-value resources like meals, should be prevented from physically accessing each other during mealtimes. Use baby gates or x-pens to divide areas of your home or to feed dogs in their crates. An easy way to do this is to feed pets in different rooms of your home and close doors while they’re eating.
Cierra Dibbert
2025-05-31 11:44:47
Count answers
: 12
Supervise feedings with cats and dogs on opposite sides of the kitchen. Usually the dog finishes first, and he can go out into the fenced yard to "do his duty" while the cat has more time to finish her meal. Put cat bowls on elevated spots like counters, cat trees, or the washing machine so they're out of reach of nosy dogs. When the cat's food bowl is next to a preferred sleeping and lookout spot, your cat also will be less likely to graze from the floor level dog dish. If you don't have enough second story locations or your jumping dog can reach counters, feed pets in different rooms. Use a baby gate or pet barrier to segregate hallways or stairways to create separate feeding areas. Meal feeding in 2 or 3 scheduled times lets the pets anticipate the routine. You can pick up any leftovers and lock them safely away in a cabinet for the pet's next meal. When feeding at the same time won't work, try to stagger feeding times. Most pets eat all they want within 10-20 minutes. You can schedule mealtimes 10 minutes apart in different locations or the same spot, moving pets in and out as needed. Use puzzle toys to feed your pets. Place dry food inside a puzzle toy. For a homemade cat puzzle toy, get a clear plastic sealable box and cut paw-size holes in the lid. Place dry cat food inside for the cat to see and "fish" the food out.
Danyka Jaskolski
2025-05-31 08:04:41
Count answers
: 6
If you have multiple dogs, it is not uncommon for a more dominant dog to exert that dominance by eating the other dog’s food. This results in one dog getting too much food and one dog not getting enough. You will need to intervene to teach your dogs to respect each other's food and only take the food that is portioned for them individually. You will need treats to teach a 'leave it' command. You will need to commit your time to supervise feeding and implement commands, to ensure both dogs get to eat their food. You may need a way of separating dogs from each other's food area while training is ongoing. A separate room, large crate, pen, or area cordoned off with baby gates or other barriers may suffice.
Jaime Howell
2025-05-31 07:13:26
Count answers
: 15
Microchip feeders can be expensive, usually in and around the $150 mark. However, for the lazy dog parent with some extra cash and who just wants this dog to stop eating their sibling’s food, it’s an excellent buy. One notable downside you’ll need to consider is feeder placement. Many pet parents with microchip feeders recommend cutting a hole in a box that your food-stealing victim can get through but that doesn’t have enough room for two dogs. Then put the bowl in the box so it’s covered on all sides.
When your food thief starts to try and crowd your victim’s food bowl, stand between the thief and the bowl and firmly say “no.” This will show the thief that while your victim isn’t necessarily claiming their food, you are declaring their food. When the thief backs off, praise them and take them into another room to play.
Another way to reinforce training is to teach your dog the “leave it” command. Start with a treat and put it in the palm of your hand with your fist closed. Once your dog can reliably leave the treat in your hand alone, it’s time to teach them how to leave things that aren’t in your hands. Then when your dominant dog goes for your submissive dog’s food, tell them to “leave it.” If the dog leaves it, reward them with some treats and playtime.
Read also
- What is the 80/20 rule for dog food?
- How to stop a dog from being territorial over food with other dogs?
- Is it OK for dogs to share food bowls?
- What is the 25% rule in pet food?
- How to train your dog to be less aggressive around food?
- How do you break a dog's territorial aggression?
- Why does my dog keep attacking my other dog around food?