# Silly problem...



## Oyster (Mar 7, 2016)

Buffy is a year now, and it continues to be two steps forward, one step back...  In the last two months or so, she's started progressively, instead of eating her kibble directly out of her bowl, she paws it out, sometimes just outside the bowl and sometimes more excitedly all over within a 3ft radius or so... Same food dish basically forever, been eating her meals in the crate forever, same kibble, etc., but now she basically ONLY eats food off the floor. It's not the WORST thing or our biggest problem by far, but I'm afraid I've already let it go on too long.

More background - she's got a few food puzzle toys that she LOVES. My first visit with the vet he said try to get to 33% of her food intake from puzzles. So generally she knocks something around until some food comes out and that's been a daily ritual since she started being able to work them. Seems like the behavior can't be coincidental... 

Downside is really just that it's really kind of noisy, disruptive, messy, etc... Sometimes kibble gets under the crate where she can't get it (and believe me, all the food in the bowl isn't worth that one tidbit she can't quite reach), or drops into the floor duct... 

It's relatively a pretty silly little problem but I figure I should start working it! Any suggestions are welcome!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Not something I would worry over. I think all of our Vs have some silly quirk. 
Cash has always eaten his food in the exact same spot. 
If I have to feed him anywhere else, he shoves all the food out of the bowl before eating it.


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## Oyster (Mar 7, 2016)

Hah, yeah, it's not the worst, but sooner or later I assume the kibble in the duct will invite pests or something... Maybe I'll just work out a way to prevent it from spilling out of the crate or at least set up an easy-off for the floor grate...


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

I'm Sorry, I think this is very funny!!

It sounds to me, like she has been taught 33% to play with her food, and she has decided she likes it that way, and has moved onto 100% play.
She loves the challenge ( what Vizsla wouldn't ?) When that one kibble gets away, it just amps up the game for her.

Fergy plays a similar game, by pushing a small bone or toy under my desk while I sit at it. He will dig for it until he knows he can't get it and then whine until I grab stick (which is just for this purpose) and fish it out from under, so he can grab it, chew on it, and push it back under... and whine again... This game goes on for hours or until he falls asleep>


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I used to have a dog that would pick up a mouthful of kibble in the kitchen and carry it over to the rug in the family room, where she'd drop it and eat it piece by piece. She'd repeat until all of it was gone. 

Maybe block the floor duct while she's eating? You could also harness this behavior and turn it into mentally challenging game and hide her food around the room for her to find. Well it's not _that_ challenging for their noses, but they do enjoy it!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

if I'm sat down in the living room at feed time both Ruby and Elvis will stuff their cheeks with kibble and fetch it through to the living room, drop it on the floor, eat it and then go back for more and do the same


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

I have to wonder what the purpose of "Food puzzles" is, and perhaps what your vet was actually thinking by suggesting this. The outcome you've got seems fairly predictable. Most dog problems are caused not so much by the dog, but the human!.

I would try 2 things: 1) Change the bowl you use...you'd be surprised how aware they are of things like that. A change in one (the bowl) might lead to a change in the other (her eating habits) . And 2), It's unclear how you're feeding her in the crate yet the food is going all over the floor....maybe close the door and move the crate to an area that is more contained, like a corner. 

And maybe quit the food puzzles.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Puzzles stimulate a pup to work their mind in problem solving ways. I personally don't see a problem with a vet recommending them.


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## Oyster (Mar 7, 2016)

Yeah, I think the point was that it would be good for her hunting instincts and to get some of that kind of energy out of her system without damage to my furniture...  And for sure it's her favorite activity indoors, and it totally gets her a bit mentally tired, so I'd trade a messy floor for that upside any day, though when it's really rainy out, it basically saves my life - this pup really needs to acclimate to the Pacific NW...  

She usually comes and goes in the crate as she pleases (except when I go out) and there's just a bunch of old towels in there (because she shreds anything else) so the bowl skids around or she flat out turns it over. Even if I locked her in to eat (and honestly we don't have set eating times - she just grazes as she's hungry and I keep the bowl full) she'd get a bunch out through the wire crate walls. Admittedly it's worse when she decides to stand outside the crate and drag the food out... that's her best leverage and if the bowl isn't where she wants it, she always manages to get it there. Then the paw goes in - a second to think about things - then a relatively violent explosion of food shoots towards her. When she's NOT in the crate for sure is the worst, but she can get some big distance either way!

This bowl has actually been the most stable - it's heavy and really hard for her to turn over.


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## Rbka (Apr 21, 2014)

We use this bowl: http://petvalu.com/product/89996/slobowl-mini-drop-teal-outward-hound

We make him do his usual tricks and toy cleanup first and then Nico still has to lick and work to get all the food but it is still less engaging and mobile than a treat ball. Maybe that would help


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## Oyster (Mar 7, 2016)

Ah... I haven't seen those - thanks Rbka! I suspect she'd just turn it over, but maybe I can velcro it down or something...


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## Rbka (Apr 21, 2014)

Oyster said:


> Ah... I haven't seen those - thanks Rbka! I suspect she'd just turn it over, but maybe I can velcro it down or something...


It is pretty heavy and has 4 stabilizing feet so if she can turn it over that would be very impressive lol!!


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

TexasRed said:


> Puzzles stimulate a pup to work their mind in problem solving ways. I personally don't see a problem with a vet recommending them.


Except in this situation where it likely caused a problem.

There are many ways to stimulate a pups mind that also don't interfere with other things (like eating) or create additional problems.


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## Oyster (Mar 7, 2016)

fwiw, we're on day 4 of the slobowl and it works pretty well! She can get a few bits out of it on occasion but they never launch out of the crate, and she's pretty focused and intent on her meals which can't be a bad thing... And I think the weight is pretty good, but it's probably the combo of the wide base and low height that make it too structurally sound for her to knock over. Thanks again, Rbka!


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