Playing with food and a few questions

[Lissa]

Does anyone's dog play with food. If a piece of food falls on the floor, she goes into a play bow then pounces on it. Then she will put it in her mouth and throw it. Then the game starts all over again. I love watching this game, it cracks me up every time!

On to the questions:

I know Kim has this problem with Kia but does anyone else and what can I do about it. Layla will not eat unless I am in the room watching her. As soon as I turn my head she stops eating. Sometimes I have to sit on the floor with her to get her to eat. She just will not even show interest in her food unless I pay attention to her, then she chows down. Is it because she feels like I am protecting her or something? If I won't sit in the room with her and she is really hungry, she will put it in her mouth and bring it into the room that I am in to eat it.

One more question. Layla has picked up a new habit and it is driving me nuts. She sits by my feet when I eat, like always but this week she has decided that every time I take a bite, she will bark. And these are not the 'talking' like barks, but loud, annoying ones. Help!

[cloverfdx]

Theodore our little Chihuahua plays with his dry/kibble food in the same way Layla does.

Q's number 2 i am not to sure about.

Q's 3,

Answer.
Obedience training.

Have a place that Layla is to rest when you are eating eg a mat or dog bed. start off with small stays and give plenty of praise when Layla is lying quietly on her mat. And make sure the humans always eat first, Layla could be testing out the pack order and trying to get into top position by wanting to eat before you.

Good luck.

[ramanth]

Thankfully Kia is getting out of the habit of someone having to be with her when she eats her dinner.

At home or my parents house, occasionally she'll bring a mouthfull of kibble into the living room and then eat it. At Andy's, her bowl is in the basement and she'll eat contentedly alone while Andy and I are upstairs.

The problem with Layla barking...well... you could probably approach this a couple of ways. Either A) Ignore her. She's likely doing it to get attention. When you stop eating and acknowledge her presense, even though it is a scolding, she is getting what she wants.

Or you could B) put her in her crate while you eat.

:)