Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Feeding
  3. Won't eat out of a bowl. Any ideas?

Won't eat out of a bowl. Any ideas?

Basenji Feeding
  • AndrewnShangoA

    Mowgli's adjusting quite nicely. Right now the biggest issue I'm having with him however, is that he will NOT eat out of his food bowl. I have to feed him the kibble by putting it in my hand or on the floor. Anywhere near the bowl and he won't touch it.

    Any ideas?

    Andrew, Shango & Newsom

    0
  • lvossL

    Do you have a clicker? If so make it a game to touch the bowl. You can even use treats to get him closer to the bowl and the click/click treat. Be sure to deliver the treat in the position you clicked for so if you click for being 2 inches from the bowl give the treat in that spot.

    0
  • tanzaT

    What kind of bowl to you use?…. Do you know what the previous owner used?

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0
  • Rita JeanR

    Pat that was my question kind of bowl. Did they make him eat in his kennel maybe?

    Rita Jean

    0
  • BasenjimammaB

    Some dogs don't like metal bowls, the echo when the clank at it with their collars bothers them..my dogs won't drink out of metal bowl, but their food is served in metal.The drinking might be because of the taste, who knows..
    Have you tried just leaving him with the bowl and the food in it for a while, to see if he tries it when alone? Maybe he will eat it if given time and starving tummy gets to help things along.

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

    0
  • AndrewnShangoA

    @tanza:

    What kind of bowl to you use?…. Do you know what the previous owner used?

    He was at a very cheaply run dog kennel. He's scared of EVERYTHING so I think the food moving in the bowl when he goes to eat it probably scared him further.

    It's just a plain green dog bowl.

    Andrew, Shango & Newsom

    0
  • tanzaT

    If you think it is bothersome to him… then try putting his food on a dinner plate.. a heavy one that will not slide around the floor....... and since you are feeding him dry food (I am only guess it is dry...) maybe just use like a place mat and put the food on that... and if that works then go to maybe a dinner plate?

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0
  • BuanaB

    We had that same problem with Hailey, our Ibizan when she came to us..
    She only ate of the floor ?f from our hands..
    We just tryed different sort of bows (metal, plastic) and even from our bowl collection, wood, pottery etc..
    Also tryed different sort of shapes, high and low.
    She started to eat when we gave the food on a normal dinner plate…
    After a while we changed that to a simular bowl and to a normal feeding bowl like the boys have.

    After a few months she ate nice and calm out of a normal bowl.

    Good luck, it's sometimes hard to find out what they want

    Kim and my Basenji pack, Buana, Chafuko and Enya

    http://www.kwabandurus.com

    0
  • AndrewnShangoA

    @Buana:

    We had that same problem with Hailey, our Ibizan when she came to us..
    She only ate of the floor ?f from our hands..
    We just tryed different sort of bows (metal, plastic) and even from our bowl collection, wood, pottery etc..
    Also tryed different sort of shapes, high and low.
    She started to eat when we gave the food on a normal dinner plate…
    After a while we changed that to a simular bowl and to a normal feeding bowl like the boys have.

    After a few months she ate nice and calm out of a normal bowl.

    Good luck, it's sometimes hard to find out what they want

    Thanks for the success story! It's encouraging!

    Andrew, Shango & Newsom

    0
  • BasenjimammaB

    Did the plate thing work for Mowgli, last night?

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

    0
  • AndrewnShangoA

    @Basenjimamma:

    Did the plate thing work for Mowgli, last night?

    Actually, he eats out of Shango's bowl so I just went and bought him the exact same one! Problem solved! :-)

    Andrew, Shango & Newsom

    0
  • barklessk9B

    That is funny! Glad the problem is solved. Congratulations on your new addition!!

    0
  • BuanaB

    Glad to read it's solved! :D

    Kim and my Basenji pack, Buana, Chafuko and Enya

    http://www.kwabandurus.com

    0
  • BasenjimammaB

    How quirk, but simple. Good for you.

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

    0
  • Rita JeanR

    Happy that all is well and going so great since the food bowl solved. Have fun.

    Rita Jean

    0

Suggested Topics

  • The_Red_BaronT

    Baron wont eat????

    Basenji Feeding
    50
    0 Votes
    50 Posts
    19k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    WOW great pictures! He already looks like he is gaining weight, not "ribby" looking!
  • hamezH

    Not Eating

    Basenji Feeding
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    4k Views
    nobarkusN
    For now try feeding cooked chicken and white rice.
  • MDSPHOTOM

    Cool Basenji Bowl

    Basenji Feeding
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    3k Views
    Rita JeanR
    I do like it but is just a little to much money but don't keep me from wanting one. Rita Jean
  • youngandtiredY

    Sometimes she eats good, sometimes not!

    Basenji Feeding
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    3k Views
    renaultf1R
    I wanted Brando to at least have some breakfast, but he wouldn't eat a lot. So I tried to split it equal amounts and he would always leave some. Then I gave him a smaller amount in the morning and then larger at night and that was the right balance and he now eats both meals fully. You might just experiment to see what might work if you really want her to have two meals. Also, I completely agree with Pat about controlled feeding. I think picky eaters then understand that if they want something to eat, they bettter get it now or they'll be waiting a long time. Ruby was REALLY picky until I switched food. Brando is still picky on occasion. Both have missed meals because they didn't eat within a set amount of time. One reason I really like controlled feeding is that if they are sick and not eating, you know it…also, it helps with controlled "output" as well.
  • Tayda_LennyT

    Lenny won't eat! Why?

    Basenji Feeding
    23
    0 Votes
    23 Posts
    6k Views
    Tayda_LennyT
    He seems to be getting a little better… I am trying to keep him hydrated and have been feeding him baby food, which he has, for the most part, kept down. He has been peeing multiple times a day and actually pooped this morning which was a breakthrough, but nothing came out that seemed problematic. He is not as active as he normally is, but he does still have a little pep. Hopefully when I get home he will excrete whatever is clogging up his system. The last time this happened, the doc took about 12 x-rays but could not really conclude anything from them. So I ended up paying about $1700 to just let him pass it on his own. They did give him an IV, which I think helped, but I didn't figure out what was going on until he was already dehydrated last time. I think since he is keeping down the water/food I give him and is consistantly peeing thats a good sign. If he starts to act more lethargic, or starts to vomit what i give him, I"ll take him in....
  • L

    She won't eat…

    Basenji Feeding
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    5k Views
    Tayda_LennyT
    I feed Tayda in her crate, because if i don't she will pick up a few pieces of food, carry it to the carpet and eat it there. Also it keeps Lenny away from her food. Usually when he's done eating, he'll wander over to the crate and wait around like a vulture. ha ha. However, I did notice Tayda's eating habits changed a lot once Lenny was around. She used to not eat much, maybe once a day, and she would never finish her food. Even now, I feed them both at the same time and Lenny will gobble up his food, and Tayda will just sit around. Once Lenny is done and is wandering over for Taydas food, she gets up and starts eating. It really seems like she only eats so that he doesn't get her food.