weird eating behaviour..advice?

[hannah87]

hi,
My 10 month old JRT x Chiuwaha (Sp?) has some very strange eating habits and I was wondering if this was typical of smaller dogs/young ones! He refuses to eat his tea/brekkie if you are in the same room as him or looking at him from the other room, if you do walk in when hes eating he cowers and slinks off as though he has done something wrong. This isnt really a problem as such, but its almost as though he thinks he shouldnt be eating it? however, if you give him his food then leave the house for work etc he wont touch it till you return.

The bigger issue is he has taken to running in to his food, taking 1 biscuit at a time, bringing said biscuit into another room, placing it on the floor then sits about a yard away and stares at the biscuit for 5 mins, occasionally growls/woofs/whines at it then slinks up to it and eats it. Then repeats. He also randomly hides his food round the house and eats it later. we have tried him on different food and still the same! Ive had him since he was 10 weeks and we dont have any other pets in the house.
I have noticed this behaviour really got going since he was castrated.
He acts very similar if you give him a bone/treat. Bones he will sit and whine at for hours then carry round desperate to hide it and becomes quite frantic when he cant find a good enough hiding place!
Does anyone have any ideas as to why he has these bizarre eating habits?! is it typical of terriers? I only had larger dogs before.
Thanks for any advice!!

 

[PucciNPoni]

Hmmm, maybe he would rather hunt for it? Try getting a treat cube or puzzle to make it more interesting.

My dogs are a bit weird too. My border terrier used to not eat unless *I* was home. My husband would feed him but he'd leave it til I got in. However, the alpha bitch would then come and snaffle it up!

Meanwhile the poodle will eat his breakfast okay, but won't eat his evening meal UNLESS I'm sitting beside him. He's too busy running round the house checkin out the news etc - he comes to work with me so is really excited about being home that he just won't settle til I sit at the counter near him.

 

[CAYLA]

You would be very suprised how little a small breed like this can get by on.........it's sounds to me like he really is not to fussed on the food offered and he is confused as to where to stash it for later if he decides he wants it later (a natural dog instinct) I would offer him a small meal and pick up after 5 mins when he displays this behaviour, dont leave food down, if he has a crate place him in there for feed time for a small period of time, i.e 10 mins, then remove the food, get him into a routine that it's left each day for so long the it's gone, lone dogs will always be more fussy eaters also, they have no competittion, so no need to clear the bowl as quick, but add libbing can also make a dog fussy.
Chi's in particular are very fussy eaters, often owners will give in thinking they will starve and begin feed then human scraps, if he is bright and healthy and his weight is ok, then dont worry, if his weight is not ok, get him checked by the vet esp this teeth and mouth.
But suspect he is of the fussy and not needing alot of food variety and he is worried his food will be consumed by someone else even though he does not want it, hence why he acts a little worried and frustrated when he has it.
Stick to the same food and dont over treat, jsut leave him long lasting stimulating treats when u leave him for periods and remove them when u come home.

In simpler terms....as reading back it sounds confusing

he is not a big eater bt worried all te same his food will be taken by someone/someting else, hence creating food down time routine to try and encourage him to eat in his gievn time.