Got a little lab puppy, now my older lab wont eat as much?

**CountryPrincessxoxo** · 10-06-2011, 07:19 PM

I have a 10mo old lab (rem) , who has always eaten all his food with no problems. Now that i got a little puppy (between 6 and 8 weeks) he doesnt seem to want th eat as much. Sometimes the puppy (rudy) will eat out of rems food dish and i try to encourage him to eat from his own, but rem will just grab a passing mouth full and wont just eat his food, even if rudy is eating from his own little dish, rem is more concerned about what the puppy is doing rather than just eating his food. usually this ends up to where the pup takes over both food dishes.

rem isnt scared and the puppy isnt showing aggression, its almost like he is saving it for the puppy or like just sharing it?? or something and i keep trying to tell rem to go eat otherwise the puppy is gonna get it but he just watches rudy eat or takes a bite here and there now.

**nicole** · 10-06-2011, 07:27 PM

Feed in crates.

**BigBrownDog** · 10-06-2011, 07:30 PM

It is not unusual for an older puppy (which is what you have now - 2 puppies) to be a little put out by the arrival of a new animal in the house. I would do as Nicole says and feed one or both in a crate (if you are feeding one in a crate - make it the baby). You should NOT allow the small puppy to eat out of the other one's dish - you are lucky that the older puppy has not reacted badly to that.

**CountryPrincessxoxo** · 10-06-2011, 07:39 PM

neither one of them have food aggression, and they share eachothers water and play all the time, but hes just more reluctant to eating like he used to. ill try to feed the puppy in the crate for now on and see if that helps remington pay more attention to him and his eating rather than the puppies.

**Sophiesmama** · 10-06-2011, 07:41 PM

Separate them. I wouldn't change the older pup's routine. He has enough to deal with getting used to the new baby. He may not quite know how to react and what is expected, so he backs off and lets the puppy take over. Feed the new puppy in his crate or closed in a different room.

**Tanya** · 10-06-2011, 08:37 PM

feed them in separate areas, crate one or both if you have to. it is more than aggression, it is also knowing who is eating how much and of what. plus - puppy shouldn't be sticking their nose in the other dog's food bowl, I would be standing there to move puppy back to their bowl at a minimum.

**Luvmydog2much** · 10-07-2011, 09:20 AM

This is the time to get control over your house! While they're both young.

My dogs know where they eat, and they don't shop around. Thats Ruby (7) Ginny (3) Rhys (10) and a 9 week old Nola.

No one, I repeat NO ONE even thinks to go to someone else's bowl. Why? Because its my food and I'm just letting them eat it. They eat and get out of the kitchen, 2 or three days of being on them when they're young is all it takes.

**Belles mom** · 10-07-2011, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by Luvmydog2much

This is the time to get control over your house! While they're both young.

My dogs know where they eat, and they don't shop around. Thats Ruby (7) Ginny (3) Rhys (10) and a 9 week old Nola.

No one, I repeat NO ONE even thinks to go to someone else's bowl. Why? Because its my food and I'm just letting them eat it. They eat and get out of the kitchen, 2 or three days of being on them when they're young is all it takes.

I agree wholeheartedly. My dogs, and those that board and train here frequently, know where their spot to eat is. I can feed as many as 6-7pm a pretty small space. Any dog that is new or too mosey to start with, are fed in crates

**Sophiesmama** · 10-07-2011, 06:40 PM

We have a 15 year old toy poodle. Our lab Sophie has a bit of a short attention span, and will often walk away from her food dish and come back a few minutes later. When our poodle starts eating Sophie's food, Sophie will just sit there looking at her. Some times she will complain about it, but never forces the poodle away from her dish even though the poodle is 12 lbs and Sophie is 55lbs! Sometimes she will lay and wait for the poodle to walk away. Maybe you just have a well-mannered lab as well.

**georgie** · 10-07-2011, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Tanya

feed them in separate areas, crate one or both if you have to. it is more than aggression, it is also knowing who is eating how much and of what. plus - puppy shouldn't be sticking their nose in the other dog's food bowl, I would be standing there to move puppy back to their bowl at a minimum.

Originally Posted by Luvmydog2much

This is the time to get control over your house! While they're both young.

My dogs know where they eat, and they don't shop around. Thats Ruby (7) Ginny (3) Rhys (10) and a 9 week old Nola.

No one, I repeat NO ONE even thinks to go to someone else's bowl. Why? Because its my food and I'm just letting them eat it. They eat and get out of the kitchen, 2 or three days of being on them when they're young is all it takes.

Mine do share water bowls but NEVER food bowls. Great advice. It does work. Mine eat in the same room & neither (even when we had three) goes to the other's food bowl.