Is it OK for dogs to share food bowls?
Adela Hagenes
2025-06-28 06:57:18
Count answers
: 9
They each have their own food bowls and will eat their food out of the proper bowl if I instruct them to. They know which bowl belongs to whichever dog but if I fill their bowls and walk off, they all take turns eating out of each others bowls. They don't fight over their bowls and they'll all line up to eat out of the big guy's bowl starting with the smallest. They all wait patiently for each other to take turns eating. Should I do away with the individual bowls and just have a large community food bowl for all of them to share out of?
Andreanne Hahn
2025-06-20 05:14:06
Count answers
: 12
Dogs should not be expected to “share” food or eat around small babies, toddlers or children. Leave a dog alone when they are eating is a oldie but goodie rule of thumb. Expecting your dog to enjoy the company of your baby while they eat is a disaster for all involved and setting everyone up to fail. This situation is teaching the dog/s that this baby is not to be trusted by their food and that their adults will allow this little one to take their food and crowd them during their meals. Dogs use their body to communicate with us. This baby is in the dog’s space and not respecting the dog’s attempt to be left alone. Over time if continued this will escalate especially once this baby is mobile. The dog is learning that the baby is a threat to his food and can not be trusted. Overtime this will lead to guarding behavior.
Talon Smitham
2025-06-14 13:28:15
Count answers
: 11
Dogs who live together can often share dog bowls, snuggle up together in one dog bed, and take it in turns to play with their favourite toy - but why. Canines in the same house form a pack. This is usually fine unless you've got dogs on different diets, or one pup is on medication mixed with their food - and then, separating them becomes a bit trickier. A good tactic is to use a raised dog feeder for the dog with the special diet, to remove their bowl from the lines of sight and smell of the other dog. Putting your water dog bowl in between their food stations, or opting for bowls for puppies with a lower lip to help the smaller paws eat their dinner without interruption from older dogs is also a great idea. Our canines are sociable, friendly and generally good at sharing - but if you see any signs of your more dominant dog taking over from the more timid paws, having separate places to eat and sleep is a great idea.
Cheyenne Abernathy
2025-06-05 20:31:47
Count answers
: 10
It’s okay to have a community water bowl, but each dog should get their own helping in a separate bowl. Ideally, each dog gets their meal at the same time and finishes at the same time. First, it’s important that dogs each have their own food bowl. If one dog is eating their food too fast, and then moving on to purge their sibling’s recipes, consider using a feeding puzzle to slow them down. If they try to eat from a bowl other than their own, put yourself between them and the bowl and calmly make it clear it’s not theirs. A few days of this should send the message. Address dinnertime issues as they arise in order to prevent them from getting worse. By doing so, you can make sure that your dogs not only get along, but also get the right nutrition, without having to watch every bite.
Elyse Herzog
2025-06-05 17:42:13
Count answers
: 11
I know this is far from ideal. I'd rather them eat out of their own bowls so I know how much they've eaten. There's always 2 bowls down but they choose to share and normally start with the one with the least in it first. They won't eat unless they're in the same room. Neither appear food aggressive either. I've tried bringing one inside to eat then the other. Tried different rooms. Tried crates. They're still both active, no teeth issues, no body issues, no fights. They have been playing together more and always greet each other.
Howell Howe
2025-06-05 16:31:30
Count answers
: 12
Don't allow your dogs to approach one another while they are eating. If one dog doesn’t finish a meal, pick up their bowl and don’t let another dog finish the other dog’s food. Fostering good manners at mealtime in a multi-pet household will go a long way in preventing resource guarding and general conflict between pets in the home. 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. This will allow them to feel comfortable eating slowly, which is better for digestion. 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. Other dogs are fine eating in the same room as other dogs or pets in the home, but each should still have a specific area where their bowl gets placed at mealtime.
Read also
- What is the 80/20 rule for dog food?
- How to stop a dog from being territorial over food with other dogs?
- How do I stop my dog from eating each other's food?
- 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?