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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

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  • 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.

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  • tanzaT

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

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • Rita JeanR

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

    Rita Jean

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  • 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…

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • BasenjimammaB

    Did the plate thing work for Mowgli, last night?

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

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  • 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

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  • barklessk9B

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

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  • BuanaB

    Glad to read it's solved! :D

    Kim and my Basenji pack, Buana, Chafuko and Enya

    http://www.kwabandurus.com

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  • BasenjimammaB

    How quirk, but simple. Good for you.

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

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  • Rita JeanR

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

    Rita Jean

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