My Crazy Dog Wouldn't Eat!
By trickiwoo
@trickiwoo (2702)
United States
October 27, 2008 4:33pm CST
A few months ago, my boyfriend and I adopted a dog. She is an absolute joy, and we both love her so much.
She loves to eat! My boyfriend took her over to his parents' one day and she immediately ate their dog's food AND their cat's food! Whenever we feed her, she scarfs down her food and then licks the bowl clean. She never leaves a single crumb!
So yesterday, we were surprised when she didn't eat her breakfast. She nibbled on it a bit, but didn't hoover it down like she usually does. I usually feed her during the week while my boyfriend is at work, but yesterday he fed her and he fed her about 2-3 hours before the time I usually feed her. So at first I thought, "Maybe it's just earlier than she's used to eating so she's not hungry yet."
So we waited. And she still didn't eat. We watched her carefully, and she didn't seem sick or injured or anything. She was her regular happy self... nothing different about her at all except for the fact that she didn't eat her food.
When it came time for us to feed her dinner, there was still food in her bowl. We gave her the regular amount we give her at dinner time. She went over to her bowl, ate a few bites, then ran into the bedroom.
We were both really worried about her. Finally I said, "Let's give her a treat and see if she eats that." So I handed her a treat, she took a small bite, looked up at the living room window in fear, and ran into the bedroom... leaving the rest of her treat behind. I said to my boyfriend, "Maybe she's afraid of the window... try moving her food bowl in the bedroom." So he did, and sure enough our dog ran into the bedroom and immediately began chowing down!
The window has been there as long as we've had her. Nothing has changed about it. I don't know why she is suddenly afraid of it! And I've never seen anything that scared her so much she wouldn't eat her food!
Do you worry when your dog doesn't eat?
2 people like this
5 responses
@sidyboy (284)
• United States
31 Oct 08
Some dogs have some really odd "quirks"- and will even develop some for no real reason at all. My one will run away from his food bowl if I do dishes while he's eating, and another one of my dogs wont eat unless he's standing on a rug in the kitchen.
If you want to get her to eat where she was eating prior to developing her "quirk", gradually move her bowl back in that direction. For instance, each day move it a foot closer to where that window is- it may work lol
1 person likes this
@kezabelle (2974)
•
28 Oct 08
Maybe she saw something that spooked her and she was just afraid at least you worked out why she wasnt eating.
Our dog has days where he wont eat as much I tend not to worry he cant be starving all the time.
1 person likes this
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
27 Oct 08
No she eats, she just won't eat if her bowl is in the same room as the scary window. She is so afraid of that window! We moved her bowls and she eats normally now.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
27 Oct 08
It seems most likely that something happened at that window, maybe whilst she was eating, that you didn't happen to notice. The first thing that comes to my mind is that a bird flew against the window suddenly. If you were, maybe, not in the room at the time you wouldn't have noticed.
I have been in a room when a bird hit the window and I can assure you that it is one of the scariest things I know. Surprisingly, it happens quite often, especially if the light is right so that the window reflects the scenery outside well. Birds are usually fairly aware of windows but if they are scared or being chased by a hawk they can often see the reflection as just more open space and ... WHAM!
Look closely at the window and see if you can see any very slightly greasy mark on it where the feathers left a tell-tale trace. We had a pigeon go into a window once and afterwards there was a very faint mark which you could only see when the light was just right. It looked like the shadow of an angel.
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
27 Oct 08
She's always been wary of the window... but she's never been terrified of it. She's been pretty scared of the clouds in the sky (it's been windier now so they move faster) so my guess would be she just saw moving clouds out that window and is now terrified.
@rockgroupie2 (280)
• United States
27 Oct 08
I agree that it is probably a good idea to have him check if this persists. Maybe somthing or someone came up to the window and scared him while you were away. I notice my dogs don't eat much when it is very hot out. I've always had small dogs and they don't seem to eat as consistently as larger dogs. They will also eat more on the weekends becase my daughter is home and has them outside playing for hours. If you didn't change his food and you don't think he could have eaten anything he shouldn't have, such as the trash, then just keep an eye one it. If it persists have him checked by your vet.
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
27 Oct 08
If we're not home, she's in her crate in the bedroom where she can't see the window. Plus, we live on the third floor and the window is up near the ceiling, so not a lot goes by the window. Really you can only see the sky out the window. So I don't think anything happened at the window... When we first got her she had the same reaction to the ceiling fan, but she's over that now. So I figure she'll just get over her window fear in time. She eats normally when her bowls are in a different room.
