My Dog Wont Eat Out Of His Metal Bowl Anymore

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Your dog could just simply be following his instincts. Some dogs cant stand the noise a metal food bowl makes. If your dog has one of those they could the sound could be increasing their anxiety or stressing them out. Your dog may not like being watched while he eats so he moves to a more discrete area of the home.

How to help your dog eat out of their bowl again

Buy brand new metal, ceramic or plastic non slip bowls in three sizes, so a very small one, a medium one and then a normal sized one.

And if possible change the place you put the bowl down so you break all the connections with previous eating routine and place as your dog may have a negative association with the space.

Spread his meals out into lots of small ones (6) in the small bowl to start so that the bowl and the portion size are not daunting.

Why does my dog prefer the floor to the bowl?

If your dog previously ate from their bowl then it could be that they have made a negative association with the bowl and that’s putting them off.

You need to rule out pain and discomfort, so check his teeth are in good condition and that he isn’t having difficulty bending or leaning into the bowl.

If you have an older dog who won’t eat from their bowl, check our post here for tips on helping an ageing dog.

Size up the bowl and reduce the number of meals a day

Once he’s eating from that, change the bowl up for the next size. and reduce the amount of times you feed him a day to four.

When he’s okay with that change up to the normal size and back to three meals a day.

You can also try making mealtimes more fun by using a Ruffle Snuffle mat with the kibble, spreading the meals out into smaller portions. This will make it fun again for Ruben to hunt for food.

FAQ

Why does my dog not like stainless steel bowls?

They can develop stains or rust, especially if left outdoors. In addition, dogs that like to chew their bowls may even be able to damage stainless steel bowls and their own teeth in the process.

Why will my dog eat off the floor but not his bowl?

Q. Why will my dog eat his food off the floor but not from a bowl? A. Behaviourist Claire Arrowsmith says: If your dog previously ate from his bowl, then it sounds as though he has made a negative association that has put him off doing so now.

Why does my dog walk away from his bowl when eating?

Typically, the domestic dog doesn’t take the food all that far away. It wants to be able to keep an eye on the rest of the food in the bowl. If your dog is taking her food to the living room, she could be trying to protect her food, or she also might be lonely and looking for some company at dinnertime.